Love Is Our Lucky Charm
by EgyptianHaler
Summary: A new #Lucian FanFiction. Please read and let me know what you think of it.
1. Introductory

Hey guys, Esraa here.

Some of you might know me from my other #Ezria FanFictions.

 **(1)** The blue pendant. [ On-going ]

 **(2)** A part of both of us. [ one-shot ]

 **(3)** Stupid to ever let go. [ one-shot ]

But if you don't, make sure to check them out.

So, this is my first #Lucian fanfic. The idea popped into my head and I just had to write it down.

Please read and tell me what you think of it.

Kisses,

Esraa.


	2. Chapter1- What Happy Anniversary!

**Ian's POV**

 _Life sure has its way to show you what's up its sleeve. For me; Ian Michael Harding , I've got everything and more. I've got a loving family, caring friends and most importantly a very loving, caring and the most encouraging wife on this planet earth, aka Karen Lucille Hale; my Lucy._

 _People have always been wondering about what our relationship had been like while on the set of Pretty Little Liars. And believe me, we've always been honest about it. We were just best friends. Until one lucky day we found out we were just too blind to see what's been staring at us all these years._

 _As I lay here looking down at the peaceful sleeping face of my beautiful wife, I wonder how I got this lucky to have her in my life for even a second._

 _We've been married for almost two years now, and I'm still falling more in love with her every second of everyday. Our relationship is just the best kind of friendship plus the loving intimate part. We've always had each other's backs under all circumstances, never once bailed on one another._

 _Seven months ago we found out that we were expecting. We were over the moon, and still are. Lucy has been so excited about it, that she she already bought dozens of outfits for the baby. Well, she's not the only one. Her sister bought us about a dozen onesies that are all about being cute as auntie._

 _Life has been pretty good this far. I am one lucky guy!_

 _Lucy stirs a bit, and her eyes flutter open. And I'm caught staring at her, once again, but hey, can you blame me? She's just so beautiful that I can't stop looking at her in awe_.

"How many times have I caught you staring at me in my sleep, and told you not to do it again because it's creepy?" _She playfully glares at me._

"Too many times for me that I stopped listening. Good morning, beautiful" _I say as I lean down to give her a good morning kiss._

"Good morning, Shmian" _She says in her morning groggy voice, which is one of the sexiest voices she makes._

"How did you sleep? I hope this little peanut let you sleep in peace" _I ask her as I caress her stomach. I still can't believe that in just a few short months, we'll be holding and raising a small human being that's half me half Luce. This kid is gonna be the luckiest kid in the world to have her as a mother._

"I slept ok. My little peanut is being very helpful. How about you? How did you sleep?"

"I had a much needed sleep, I was exhausted last night, and now I feel as good as new. What do you feel like breakfast?"

"Mmm, I feel like having my husband's famous delicious chocolate-chips pancakes, and the little one wants some fresh orange juice too. Thank you"

"On it right now. You go wash up while I make you and the little peanut your breakfast" _I tell her as I help her get off the bed._

"Thank you, Shmian" _She says as waddles her way to the bathroom._

 **Lucy's POV** :

I _make my way to the bathroom. I can't believe how I got so lucky to have my best friend; Ian, as my husband. He's so kind and caring. He's always been there for everyone, especially me and our precious baby. Today is our second anniversary, and I intend to show my loving husband what it means to me having him in my life, and how much I appreciate his love and support for me._

 _After I finish my business in the bathroom I walk back out into our bedroom, I walk into my closet, technically it's our closet, but hey, who has the bigger share? Me, so it's my closet. I look for the royal blue nightie I bought a few days ago, and the black set of lingerie. I know Ian won't be able to keep his hands off. After I finish dressing, I make my way down to the kitchen where I smell the mouth-watering smell of Ian's famous pancakes_.

"Hey, you!" _I greet him as I wrap my arms around his torso from behind._

"Hey, Good... WOW. Y-you look WOW" _He observes me thoroughly._

 _He's struck, and I'm blushing. Mission accomplished!_

"Thank you, Shmian. Mm, it's smells so good in here. We're starving" _I say as I pat my baby pump to make my point. As I look back up at Ian, he's still looking at me, he's actually almost drooling._ "Stop staring at me, and hand me my breakfast. Didn't Mary tell you it's not nice to stare at people?"

"Well, she taught me to observe beauty, and show my appreciation" _He's being one hell of a smart-ass right now, ok._

"Well, thank you, Mr. observant. Now give us our food, please"

"Coming right up. Get yourself comfortable and get ready to be pampered"

"Pampered? Any special occasion for that, Mr Harding?"

"What? I need a reason to take good care of my wife?" _He says in fake shock._

"I'm not complaining, suit yourself, babe" _I say as I flirtatiously bite my lip._

"You're being dangerously sexy this morning, what's up with you?" _He askers as if he's clueless why._

 _Ok, two can play this game._

"So now I need a reason to seduce my husband?" _I say as I make my way to loving husband as he's taking all of me in, and I put my hand around his neck to pull his face closer to mine so I could kiss the hell out of him._

 _Ian immediately kisses back. Well, he's getting the hint. So I slowly snake my other hand under his shirt to pull his whole body in._

"What are you doing, Luce? We can't do this now, or I'll be late" _He asks._

 _Late? Late for what?_

"What are you gonna be late for?" _I ask, oblivious as to what he would be late for._

"For work, Luce. What's up with you? Is the pregnancy brain just kicking in or what?" _He's being sarcastic, but seems serious at the same time._

"Oh, I just thought you'd be spending the day with me?" _It comes out as more of a question than it is a statement._

"You know I would love to, but I can't. We have to shoot as many scenes as I can if I wanna take time off once the baby is born" _He tries to reason with me, but he also seems really clueless about what today really is._

"But it wouldn't make a difference if you skipped just one day, just today? Please?" _I ask pulling the puppy face that gets me almost anything._

"What's so important about today that you want me to ditch work for? Is something wrong? Do you want to go to the doctor?" _Oh My God! He is clueless._

"No, Ian. Nothing is important, and nothing is wrong. I just thought that my husband would take the day off to spend it with me, but he has his job to think about. Fine, Ian, go" _I say defensively._

 _Great hormones are taking over._

"Why are you so mad all of a sudden? Did I say something wrong? It was your idea for me to shoot as many scenes a day so I wouldn't have to work as much once the baby is here. So, why are you upset that I have to go to work today? I don't see the reason not to"

 _Is he upset? I'm the one who should be, not him._

"You know what? It's perfectly fine with me. Go do your job, Ian. I'll be waiting here, at home, with my baby" _I say, rather loudly, as I make my way to the stairs._

"Where are you going? What about breakfast? It's almost done" _He calls after me._

"You can have it to yourself"

 _I lost my appetite anyway_.

 _I walk into my bedroom straight to the closet to change out of this stupid lingerie. I put on a baggy t-shirt and comfy shorts, and go lay on the bed, with my back towards the door._

 _I hear Ian walk into the room, but I'm too upset to acknowledge his presence._

"I know you're upset with me right now and don't wanna talk to me for some unknown reason, so I'll just get changed and get out of your hair" _I hear him say before he does just that._

 _Now that I think about what just happened, Ian could've been acting clueless so he wouldn't give away any hint that he has a surprise for me, like he always does. But Ian's always been terrible at keeping it hidden, he always gives away little things. I don't even know what to think right now. So maybe, I should be the one who surprises him with a home-cooked romantic dinner._

 _Yeah, I'll do just that._

 _After Ian leaves the house for work, I hop to my feet, well, I get up as fast as my bump would allow me, and I walk down to the kitchen to check if I have the ingredients for tonight's dinner. I think I have everything, even the beverages; water for me and beer for Ian._

 _Then I clean up around the house a little bit. I then look for the dress I'm gonna wear which I bought specifically for tonight. I lay it down on the bed, and go sort out the accessories that would perfectly with it. After all that is done with, I realize I am hungry, so I go back down into the kitchen, Ian has already fed the dogs, so I just grab some of the pancakes Ian's made, and pour myself a glass of orange juice and start digging in._

 _After wrapping up everything downstairs, everything is ready for tonight;_

 _dinner [✔️]_

 _Candles [✔️]_

 _A killer, easy-to-take-off dress ? [✔️]_

 _Me and baby H [✔️]_

 _So now all I have to do is wait for a couple of hours, or maybe just take a nap, and then start getting ready while the dinner is being cooked._

 _I lay down on my side, using my pregnancy pillow. Oh those things are so comf..._

 _Zzzz._

 _I wake up some time later in the afternoon. It's probably only... What? How the hell is it three already? I'm gonna have to hurry up if I want everything done before Ian gets home at six. I scurry down the stairs. For tonight's dinner, I'm making veggie lasagne with cottage cheese, so I pop it in the oven to let it get done. I set the utensils on the dinning table. I set the candles in their holders. Then I make my way upstairs to take a nice shower, do my hair, and get dressed in a new set of lingerie and my killer dress. Tonight is gonna be perfect._

 _Now it's five-thirty. Ian should be here in thirty minutes. The lasagne is ready, I made garlic bread with mozzarella cheese and chili pepper flakes on top, and I even have a cupcake with 'Happy 2nd' written in frosting on top of it. Finally, I can plate everything on the table since it's all ready to be served._

 _I head upstairs to make sure I'm all perfectly touched up. Hair is perfect, make up is not smeared, yet ️._

 _I make my way downstairs, again. How many times have I gone up and down the stairs today already? I check on the dogs who I completely neglected today, I feed and pet them for a bit, and then I go sit on the couch in the living room waiting for the telltale signs of Ian's arrival._

 _6:00_

 _6:30_

 _7:30_

 _Where the hell is he? He didn't mention he'd be late tonight. Maybe I should give him a call to see if his on his way._

 _I dial Ian's number and wait for him to pick up._

Ian: Hello?

 _What's that noise?_

Lucy: Hey, it's me.

 _Of course he knows it's you, Lucy._

Ian: I would now my wife's voice any time, Luce.

Lucy: Where are you? You didn't tell me you'd be late today?

Ian: Didn't you get my text? I texted you to tell you that I would be home late because the guys wanted to go out for a drink.

Lucy: Uh, a drink? Oh.

 _No matter how hard I try, I can't hide the disappointment in my voice._

Ian: Yeah. I didn't wanna go, but they really insisted. I'll be home in an hour though, don't worry I only had one beer for the night.

Lucy: Oh no! Don't hurry back. You just have a good time with the guys.

Ian: Are you sure? I can come back now, if you want?

 _It come out as a question, not a statement to assure me that he cares enough about me to not let me be alone at our house._

Lucy: I'm sure. I uh.. have to go, I have something to do.

Ian: Are you ok? You don't sound so fine.

 _Do I really?_

Lucy: I'm fine, Ian. You should head back to your friends. Have a good time with the guys and tell them I said hi.

Ian: You don't sound ok. I'm on my way.

Lucy: Ian, really, you don't have to hurry back. Nothing is wrong with the baby.

Ian: Ok, so the baby is fine, but what about you?

Lucy: I-I have to go. I'll see you tomorrow, Ian because I'll probably head to bed early.

 _I say before I hang up._

 _I make my way to the dinning table and take the plates to the trash can to get rid of any evidence of the alleged romantic dinner that was set for tonight. I put everything away. I head upstairs to our bedroom change out of the dress, heels and all my accessories. I walk into the bathroom, wipe off my makeup, and then head out to the guest-room; there's no way I'm spending the night next to Ian. I'm on the verge of breaking down, and I'm, sure as hell, not gonna do it in front of him. I call the dogs up to me. As soon as I call, all three of them can be heard scampering up the stairs._

 _They come to me looking at me expectantly, waiting for their orders. Ever since I've become pregnant, they're being over protective of me and very obedient._

Lucy: I'm gonna sleep in here you guys, I want you to sleep in front of this door, daddy is not allowed in. Now, sit. Remember, daddy can't come in, I'll lock the door anyway.

 _I walk into the room closing and locking the door behind me. I lay on the bed using my pregnancy pillow as a substitute for him, and I fall into a restless slumber._

 **Ian's POV:**

 _Lucy's been acting really weird today, first trying to seduce me at breakfast into spending the day with her, and when I said I couldn't, she just flipped. And what's with the phone call earlier? She seemed off, just like this morning. Something is not right. Lucy told me the baby is fine, but I have to go home right now, to make sure she's ok herself._

Ian: Sorry, guys. I gotta head back home now.

 _I tell them making my way out of the bar not even waiting for a reply._

 **Thirty minutes later**

 _The house is awfully quiet. Maybe Luce really did head up to bed early like she told me she would. I make my way up the stairs, trying to find my way through the darkness. As I walk by the guest-room, I hear whining at my feet. I look down to see the three dogs looking up at me like I'm a burglar or something._

 _That's odd. They always sleep downstairs in their own beds, only once or twice they slept on our bedroom floor, so why are they sleeping here?_

Ian: Hey, guys. What are you all doing sleeping here? Where's your Mommy?

 _As soon as I ask about Lucy, they all start barking loudly, like I'm trying to steal something from them._

 _What the hell is wrong with them too now?_

 _It's like they're trying to keep me from going into the room. Is this what this is all about? Lucy is in there and she asked them to keep me out? No, she wouldn't do that, would she? I mean what the hell did I do for her to keep me away?_

Ian: Guys, shhh. Quiet.

 _I tell them, but they wouldn't listen to what I say._

 _What the hell?!_

 **Lucy's POV:**

 _I kept turning in bed for about an hour and I finally got myself to sleep, restlessly, but then I was awoken by loud barking come from outside the room._

 _Ian must be trying to come in. My good doggies actually listened to me._

 _I can hear Ian trying to shush them, but when I'm angry at him, so are the dogs._

 _I get off the bed, and walk to the door, trying to figure out what Ian is trying to do._

"Guys, shhh. Quiet" _I hear Ian trying to get the dogs to quiet down, but they wouldn't have it. My good doggies._

 _I open the door, just a crack. It's actually quite funny how the three dogs have Ian trapped in the corner away from my door._

Ian: Lucy, what the hell is going on? What's wrong with them? And what are you doing sleeping in the guest room?

Lucy: Guys, quiet!

 _The three dogs immediately obey._

Lucy: I figured I should sleep in here for a few nights, because I don't feel comfortable sleeping in our bed.

Ian: Why are you uncomfortable sleeping in our bed, Luce? You've never complained about it before.

Lucy: I think I just need my space, Ian.

Ian: You need your space? So this isn't about being uncomfortable in our bed, this is about being uncomfortable with me, isn't it?

 _I loudly sigh, looking for the right words to answer his question._

Ian: What the hell did I do wrong? First, in the morning you kept throwing yourself at me, but when I said I had work, you just flipped. And then you when you called me earlier, I told you that the guys had invited me to grab a drink, you just instantly became more distant and almost disappointed in me, like I'm not allowed to just hang out with my friends. And now, you won't even stand to sleep in the same bed with me? Now, please, tell me, what could I have possibly done wrong to deserve the cold shoulder?

 _Ian all but raises his voice._

Lucy: Wow. So now I, **your wife** , keep throwing myself at you? Way to, not so subtly, tell me I'm a slut. Don't worry, I won't bother you anymore, **Mr. Harding**. Looks like I heard all you have to say to me. Goodnight, Ian.

Ian: Lu...

Lucy: Don't. Don't say you didn't mean any of it, because I know, fully well, you did. Don't try to say otherwise, I won't have any of it.

 _I shout at him._

 _I turn on my heels to walk back into the guest room, but before I close the door, I look at Ian's guilty face._

Lucy: There's some lasagne in the fridge, and you can help yourself to the cupcake on the counter. Happy anniversary, Husband.

 _I say before slamming the door shut and locking it._


	3. Chapter2- Trust Is The Key Word

**A/N: Hey guys. New chapter has arrived. YAY!**

 **Just wanna THANK YOU guys for following, voting for, and reviewing my story. IT MEANS A LOT TO ME.**

 **As for "The Blue Pendant. I'm really really sorry for the delay. I have a huge writer's block with it, but I'm already working on it, I promise. It's just that I have ideas or certain things I want to happen, but I don't know how to incorporate it into the story. I promise it want be long before the next update. I've already written half of it down, don't worry.**

 **now back to this story. Please read and tell me what you think would happen next.**

* * *

 **Two weeks later,**

 **Lucy's POV:**

 _These past two weeks have been hard and awkward between me and Ian. He's been trying to make it up to me for forgetting about our anniversary, but he hurt me way too much for me to just forget. When your husband calls you out for "throwing yourself at him", you don't easily forget, if at all. Nothing is as it was before. The house that was once full of love and happiness, is now full of tension and awkwardness._

"Luce, please. Come out and let's talk about it" _Ian pleads on the other side of the bathroom door._

"Go away, Ian. I don't wanna talk about it. Not now, not ever. I just wanna be left alone right now"

"Luce, you have talk to me. Any relationship is about sharing everything with your partner, especially when you're married. I vowed to you that I would always be there for you in better, in worse, sickness and in health. If you can't tell me what's going on with you, then just please let me be there to comfort you. Don't shut me out, please" _He just wouldn't leave it alone, would he?_

 _I open the locked bathroom door, and look at Ian with red puffy eyes._

"Oh, come here, Goose"

 _That's all it took me to start the water work again. I clutched Ian's shirt and cried my eyes out._

"Luce, whatever it is, you can tell me anything. I wanna know what's bothering you? Or who? I wanna see you happy again. I hate seeing you this upset, and not being able to do anything about it" _Ian says trying to comfort me._

"Where were you today, after your interview? I called you like a million times, I needed you, I waited for your arms to fall into for comfort, but you never showed up" _I asked through sobbing._

 _Ian looked at me, opened his mouth to say something, but then he looked away averting his gaze away from me_ "I had to go meet someone, I'm so sorry, Luce. I'm sorry that I wasn't there for you"

 _I push him away, looking sternly at him_ "Ian, look at me"

"I can't" _Ian simply says._

"I said, Look at me!" _I all but shout at him._

 _Ian looks at me with a look I know, oh so well; the look that says 'I'm sorry and guilty'._

"Who did you have to meet, and why? What was so important to never show up for the doctor's appointment, and never return my calls?"

"I... uh-" _Ian stutters, looking at the floor._

"Who did you meet, Ian?" _I ask raising my voice, letting all my irritation out._

"I met Mindy" _Ian mutters._

"Mindy? As in Mindy, your ex-girlfriend, Mindy?" _I ask, wanting to make sure I'm not misinterpreting._

"Yes" _Ian answers._

"Why?"

"I can't tell you why. I'm sorry, Lucy, but I really can't" _Ian avoids looking at me, again._

"You can't? Why the hell not?"

 _What could possibly be between two exes, that I can't know anything about?_

"Because it's not just my secret to tell, Luce. Please, trust me on this"

"Secret? I thought there were no secrets between us. How the hell am I supposed to trust this? You met with your ex behind my back, and ignored my calls while being with her, I can't not be upset about this" _I spat out._

"So what you're saying is that you don't trust me? Is that it? Just because I'm not telling you something, doesn't necessarily mean I'm fucking cheating on you, Lucy. You know what? I think I'm gonna sleep in the guest room tonight to cool things off" _Ian shouts at me._

"Things can't just cool off, Ian. If you wanna go back to her, by all means, go ahead, GO! But don't you dare make me the bad guy here" _I shout back at him._

Ian turns to look back at me "Stop saying that, I'm not fucking trying to get back to her, and there are no bad guys here" _Ian hisses at me._

"I think it might be a good idea for you to get out of this room right now" _I say turning my back at him._

"I have to go out anyways, I'm gonna be back late. Do you need anything before I go?" Ian asks me.

 _I walk into the bathroom, ignoring him, why would he care now? I don't need anything, not from him, I don't._

 _I hear him sighing then he grabs his jacket and his keys walking out of our bedroom._

 _The baby kicks more than normal, of course, out of stress. I put my hands where the baby is kicking._

"I'm sorry, baby. I need you to know that I love you no matter what happens, I love you so much, you don't even know it"

 _I walk out of the bathroom and change for bed. Then I crawl into my comfortable bed under the covers, I lay on my back wondering how our loving life turned into something... not so loving. I sigh as tears begin to scroll down my face. And I try to will myself to sleep._

* * *

 **More drama. I see myself as a drama queen so what?!**

 **A/N: Here's your new chapter guys. Short, I know, but I promise next chapter is juicy. Poor Luce ):**

 **kisses,**

 **Esraa.**


	4. Chapter3- The Final Pop

**:-: Lucy's POV :-:**

 _It's been a month since my fight with Ian, we haven't talked much since. He busies himself with work; he has to film for extra hours to finish most of his scenes so he could take time off after the baby is born, right now I'm supposed to be on bed rest, which Ian doesn't have any idea about, how could he when we barely talk anymore?_

"Do you want something to eat? I could fix you something to have before you have to go" _I ask Ian, he's currently sitting at the table in our kitchen_

"I already ate, thanks. I have to go now, I'm gonna be late if I don't head out right now. Do you want me to get you something on my way home?" _Ian asked me already making his way out of the door._

"No, thanks" _I reply as I pour myself some orange juice. Replying to his back._

 _Three hours later, The home phone starts ringing_

\- "Hello?"

\- "Hello? Hey, Lucy. It's Jane; Ian's manager"

\- "Oh, hi Jane. How are you doing?"

\- "I'm all good, how are you doing with the baby almost here?"

\- "I'm all ready to pop up. This baby is gonna be here anytime now, but I'm ready for it"

\- "Oh, honey it's all worth in the end. Listen I just wanted to ask Ian if he wanted to come meet me to clear out some time on his schedule for when the baby's here"

\- "Ian is out actually, and he won't be back till really late. But I'll tell him you called if you'd like?"

\- "Would you? I already tried calling him on his phone, but it went straight to voicemail, I thought he might be home since he finished shooting his scenes last week"

 _He finished shooting? Last week?_

\- "Lucy? Hello? Are you there?"

\- "Uh, yeah. Sorry. I'll make sure to tell him you called, Jane"

\- "Thanks, angel. My bests to all of you"

\- "Thanks, Jane. Bye"

\- "B..."

 _I hung up without a word._

 _The shooting finished last week? But Ian has been out late almost everyday this past week. He's been lying to me about his whereabouts?_

 _I pick up my phone, and call Maggie._

\- "Hey, Goose. How's little Harding doing? I can't wait till I get to meet my little niece or nephew. OMG! I'm so excited"

 _I can't get the words out of my mouth, I'm too choked up on them to talk. All that comes out is a muffled sob out of my covered mouth._

\- "Luce? What was that? Are you crying? Are you ok? Luce, please answer me. Did something happen to you, or the baby? Or Ian?"

 _At the mention of his name I start to sob even harder._

\- "I.. I, Mag.."

\- "I'm coming over, I'm on my way"

 _I throw the phone across the room at the opposite wall, I see it shatter into tiny little pieces, just like my life._

 _While I wait for Maggie to come, I pack up some clothes for me and the baby, besides the hospital bag and put them down beside the foot of the bed. I change my clothes, feed the dogs, get jack's things, and then sit waiting for Maggie in the living room._

 _Thirty minutes later, a frantic Maggie comes barging through the door._

"Lucy, please tell me you and the baby are ok. I came as fast as I could, what happened? Why were you crying on the phone? Where's Ian?" _Mags swamps me with questions like there's no end._

"I don't know" _I answer her, looking down at the floor, my eyes getting more blurry by the second, and my voice is very hoarse from all the crying._

"What do you mean 'I don't know'? You don't know if you're ok? Or where Ian is?" _Maggie asks, confused and a little concerned._

"I have absolutely no idea, all I know is I don't wanna stay here any second longer than I have to. I packed a bag of our clothes, and the hospital bag. I'll just get them from the bedroom and then let's head out" _I reply, starting to get up, but Maggie grabs my arm to stop me._

"You stay here, I'll get them for you. You shouldn't be carrying anything at this time, the baby is enough. Besides, aren't you supposed to be on bed rest? You're stressing, not resting, and obviously not eating well, this can't be good for you, or the baby" _Maggie sternly tells me as she makes her way up the stairs to our bedroom. I look down at my stomach, the baby is really kicking up a storm today, but I guess they're really stressed out, and I feel guilty about it._

"I'm sorry baby. I hope you know that mommy loves you so much and I'm only doing this for your best interest" _I whisper to myself more than to the baby in my womb._

 _Maggie walks down the stairs carrying the suitcases._

"Thank you so much, Mags. I really appreciate you coming to get us out of here" _I tell her with a small appreciative smile._

"That's my duty, Luce. To love and protect you, and the little one. But once we get to my place, I'll be waiting for you to tell me everything that happened between you and Ian cuz I swear if he hurt you , I'm gonna rip his head off and shred him to pieces" _Maggie sternly, yet comfortingly says._

"Thank you. I know you'd do it in a heartbeat. Now let's go before he gets here, because honestly I have nothing to say to him" _I tell my sister._

 _We get out of the house and hop in the car after I leave a note for Ian saying 'Out. Jane called' I grab jack's leash and call for him to come to me. I feel bad for leaving Bailey and Mochi behind, but I can't just take them and go._

 _Thirty minutes late, we make our way through Maggie's front door where my little adorable four-year old niece is waiting for us._

"MOMMY"

"Hey, sweet pea. Look who's here with me"

"Hey, baby" _I greet her as I grab her hands and try, as I might, to bend over to kiss her._

"Auntie Lu. You're here. I missed you" _My niece says happily as she jumps up and down, looking down at little jack who's begging for attention from her._

"I missed you too, baby, so very much. And looks like Jacks missed you too"

"Hey little Jacks. I missed you, you goof. When is the baby coming out? I can't wait for the baby to be here so I could play with them" _She exclaims as we make our way to the couch in the living room._

"Any day now, kiddo. I'm sure you're gonna be a good helper to me with the baby, right?"

"Of course, I'll help. I will teach them the alphabets, and how to count on their fingers and toes. I'll share my toys with them, but only if they don't break them" _She assures me._

"Well, thank you for the help you're gonna give me, baby. I'm gonna go take a nap now, and then we'll play with the dolls, ok? Could you please look after Jack for me till then?"

"Sure thing. I'll have the toys ready for when you wake up, Lu" _She says as her face lights up in joy._

 **Six-thirty in the morning**

 _What time is it? I feel like I've slept for years. I guess I was exhausted from all the stress. Poor Lily, here she is sleeping next to me, she must've fallen asleep while waiting for me to wake up. I must've slept for long._

 _It's 6:30?! Already?_

 _Ow! The baby is awake very early today, and very active too. I can't wait till I meet them, and find out who they're gonna look like. I'm the only one who knows the baby's gender, since I might not..._

 _I just had to find out the gender._

 _My stomach hurts like a bitch right now, and I really have to pee._

 _I waddle my way to the bathroom to relieve myself, something is not right. I feel like I wanna pee, but I can't._

 _Is that.. Is that blood? Oh God! Please let the baby be ok. But the baby is kicking, so they must be ok, right? OW!_

"Maggie! Lewis!" _No answer, of course, they're still sleeping._

 _I'm sorry, but I have to wake Lily up. I can't exactly walk right now._

 _OW! That hurt, like really hurt._

"Hey, Lilz. Baby, wake up"

 _She mumbles "too early" in her sleep, but doesn't fully wake up. I have no other choice but to throw the bomb._

"Lilz, honey. The baby is coming"

 _1 second, 2 seconds..._

"WHAT? Really?" _She shoots up of the bed like a rocket._

"Uh-huh. I need you to do me a huge favor right now"

"What is it?" _She asks gleefully._

"I want you to go wake your mommy up, and tell her that auntie Lu needs her really bad, and to have daddy get the car ready, ok?"

"On it. I can't wait to have the baby here with us" _She says as she runs her way to Maggie's_ bedroom. "Momma! Momma! The baby is coming! The baby is coming! Momma!"

 _Huh, she really is excited about it._


	5. Chapter4- Loose Ends

_Not even thirty seconds later, Maggie runs into the room looking like a headless chicken._

"Where's the hospital bag? Your bag? We need to change you into clean clothes. OMG! Why is there blood? Lucy, you're gonna be fine, I promise"

 _I laugh at her, being all that frantic, while I'm calm about it._

"What are you laughing at?" _She asks me confused as to why I'm so calm._

"You. Calm down, Mags. I think I can manage to change my clothes. I think you need to change yours and Lily's before we go. I don't know about the blood, but the baby is fine, and kicking. I know the baby is gonna be fine"

"How are you so calm about this? You know what the doctor said about this in the last appointment. You..." _She Rambles on and on._

"Maggie. Nobody can know about what the doctor said. I want you to promise me that if I'm not to make it through, you..."

"You're gonna make it, Luce" _She interrupts me._

"And if I don't, I want you to take care of my baby. You are already a great mother to Lily, and I know you'll love my baby just as much as if they were yours"

"You're gonna make it through, I just know it. I promise you I'll take a good care of your baby, only with you by my side. You're gonna come home with us, with baby H, already loved and cared for" _she assures me._

"Good. Now, don't panic, but I'm feeling really dizzy right now"

"WHAT? I'm calling 9..." _She begins to say._

 _And I'm out._

 **An hour later.**

 _I squint my eyes at the sudden blinding light, curtains and white walls. I don't know why they don't paint some colors on the hospital walls. People need to feel alive, not dying._

"Lucy, oh my God! You're awake, finally" _I hear Ian say. Wait... Ian? What's he doing here?_

"Where's Maggie?" _I ask avoiding his gaze._

"She just stepped outside to talk to your mother on the phone, she's on her way here, Lewis just picked her up at the airport" He answers. "Why did you leave the house yesterday? Maggie said you needed sometime for yourself. Why didn't you tell me you needed to get out of the house? And what happened to your phone? I found it shattered on the bedroom floor"

 _Like you care._

"I was stressed, so I decided to stay out of the house for a while. Would you call Maggie in for me? I wanna ask her something before I fall asleep again"

"Yeah, sure. Anything. Is there anything I can do for you?"

"No" _I curtly say._

"Are you su...?"

"I don't want anything" _I interrupt._

 _Really? Now he worries?_

 _Jerk._

"Ok. If you need anything, I'll be right outside"

 _He steps outside to get Maggie, who steps in just minutes later._

"Hey, Ian said you wanted to tell me something? Do you need anything?"

"What did the doctor say? Why was there blood? Is the baby ok?" _I throw loads of questions at her._

"Slow down. The baby is fine, a bit stressed, but fine. They're gonna have to do a c- section to deliver the baby. They said it's too much of a risk to wait for a natural delivery" _She informs me._

"Well, what are they waiting for? I don't wanna wait and risk my baby's health" _I frantically say._

"They were waiting for you to wake up. They wanted to talk to you before surgery. I don't know about what, they didn't even tell Ian, but they at least assured us that the baby is going to be ok"

"Then call them in right now, but first there is something I need to ask you"

"Anything"

"I know it's selfish to ask Ian to not be in the delivery room with me, so if allowed, he can go in. But as soon as we're out, I don't want him in the room with me unless he wants to see the baby. I don't want to talk to him, and I definitely don't want him near me"

"What happened that could've caused you to not want him in the same room as you? Luce, did he hurt you in any way?" _Maggie asks._

"What? What makes you think he hurt me? Ian would never hurt anyone, you know that" _I half lie._

"Then why are you asking me not to let him in the room with you? And why were you so eager to leave the house yesterday before he got home?" _Lie or tell the truth? Half way?_

 _I look up at Maggie in the eye as I ponder what to say. I don't even know what's going on myself. One minute we were happy with our life, and then the next we're keeping secrets and lying to each other._

"Look, Maggie. I really can't talk about it right now, but me and Ian, we got into a fight, and I can't deal with him any time soon. I can only have him here to spend some time with the baby after they're born, I don't know if I'm gonna make it or not , but I don't want him in the same room with me even if I don't make it, so please just do this one thing for me" _I plead._

"Why are you pessimistic about this? It's like you're wishing for death. Why are you talking like you want to not make it out of the surgery?"

"Maggie, it's not like that, at all. I just have to think about my baby before me. All Ian and I have is that baby. I wanna make sure that the baby is safe and sound even with me not being around. Ian doesn't have to worry about me anymore, and honestly, I don't want him to. Now please call the doctors in, I wanna get this over with" _With that said, I'm already on the verge of breaking down._

"I love you so much, Luce. You're the best baby sister, anyone could've asked for. I know you're gonna make it through the surgery and you're gonna raise your baby with or without Ian because you're a strong- willed person"

"I love you too, Mags. You too are the best sister anyone could ever have. Tell Lily that I love her, and I'm sorry for waking her up so early this morning. I know it's not easy for her to wake up at 6:30 in the morning, that girl loves to sleep. And Lewis too" _I tell her trying to hold back the tears. After all, this might be the last time I see her, or my Momma, or my dad, or my beautiful niece. I might even never see my baby._

"Nonsense, we're all here for you and baby H. You just hang in there, and think just in a few hours, you're gonna be holding your beautiful baby in your arms, and you'll forget all about the people around you. I just feel sorry for poor Ian, Lily is so excited about the baby that she wouldn't stop talking about what she'll do when the baby finally arrives"

"Ah!" _Damn it, that really hurt._

"Wow, Luce. That must've been a big contraction. I'm gonna go call for the doctor. I'll be right back, and hopefully, Momma would be here already" _She says as she hurries out of the room._

 _A minute later, Maggie rushes back into the room along with the doctors, and Ian, I guess Lewis stayed outside with Lily because he's not here with everybody, but Momma is here with them. As soon as I see her happy face, I know that she has no idea what's about to happen, and that's when I completely break down._

"M-Momma!" _I cry out loud. Reaching for her like a little girl in her bed waiting for her Momma to assure her that there are no bad things in the world._

"Hey, baby girl. You're ok. You're ok. Everything is going to be fine. Shhh" _She comforts me as she wraps her arms around my aching body, not knowing that everything might not be ok, and that she might be losing her little girl in just a short while._

 _I look up at Maggie who's trying her hardest to hold back her tears, and then I turn to look at Ian who's just almost as nervous as everybody else, but he knows better than to come near me now that I'm mad at him._

"Baby, everything is gonna be alright. In a few hours, you'll be holding your baby for the first time in almost nine months and all that pain is gonna be worth the wait, baby girl" _My Momma tells me as she caresses my hair._

"I love you, Momma" _I tell her before kissing both her cheeks and then her nose, like I always did when I got in trouble when I was a little kid. I used to do this asking for forgiveness from both my parents._

 _Momma tenses up and pulls away from me to look into my eyes. She knows something is not right._

"What's wrong, baby?" _She asks in concern._

 _Before I could answer her, the doctor jumps in._

"Miss Harding, as you might know, we're gonna have to operate as soon as possible. The stress is too much for the baby, and we're gonna have to perform a c-section so we wouldn't take more risks" _The doctor explains._

"Ok. But the baby is gonna be ok, right? They're not gonna be hurt?" _I have to make sure my baby is gonna be ok once they're born._

"The baby has been perfectly healthy all through the pregnancy, no need to worry. I assume you've already signed the papers?" _He asks. I know which papers he's asking about._

"Y-yes I did. Just make sure my baby is safe before anything else" _I answer him at which he nods and tells the nurse to prepare me for surgery._

 _As soon as the word get out of my mouth, a sob escapes Maggie's. I guess she's been trying to act tough for me, but not any more._

"Maggie please" _I plead with her to stay strong and to keep her promise._

"What papers did you sign?" _Ian asks, for the first time since he's come back into the room. I can hear the worrisome in his question. I look at him, contemplating whether to completely ignore him, or just give him a short answer._

 _I turn to look Momma in the eye, and I see the same question lingering there. She looks at me also waiting for answers._

 _I pull her close to me and hug her very tightly whispering in her ears what could possible be my last words to her._

"Take care of my Noah"

* * *

 **A/N: Honestly, writing and re-reading this chapter, got tears in my eyes. What do you think Lucy is hiding from everyone? Do you think Ian is gonna find out soon or when it's already too late? Let me know what you guys thought of this chapter.**

 **Kisses,**

 **Esraa.**


	6. Chapter5- Lost My Hearbeat For You

**A/N: A very big fat THANK YOU to each and everyone of you, my dear readers, who count inure to show me their love and support for me and my stories.**

 **im still working on "The Blue Pendant" Do not fret. I'm just stuck on a tiny bit part of it, but all is going relatively well.**

 **now here's your new chapter. Please, R &R.**

 **Thank you in advance.**

 **enjoy.**

* * *

 **Ian's POV:**

 _I know Lucy talked to my manager; Jane, and she told her about the shoot having been finished for a week, that's why she's cold towards me. I know I deserve it, but I also deserve to know what's going on with my wife and baby. Something is seriously wrong with this situation. What papers was the doctor talking about? And why did Lucy sign them without talking to me first? I watch as Lucy tightly hugs Julie and whispers something in her ear that makes her pull away fast and looks devastatingly at Lucy._

 _Now I know for sure that something bad is about to happen. I look at Maggie who's already sobbing in the corner of the room. Nobody is talking, no one is answering my question_.

"Lucy, what the hell is going on here? Is something wrong with the baby?" _I frantically ask her as I reach for her hand so I could get her attention._

 _She turns to look coldly at me. I get that she's mad, but she can't just keep me in the dark like this._

"You just heard the doctor, the baby is fine. You don't have to worry" _She says bitterly as she pulls her hand from mine and turns away from me._

 _Before I get the chance to say anything else, the nurse comes back into the room interrupting us._

"We need to wheel you down to the operation room right now, Mrs. Harding" _The nurse says._

"It's Lucy, please" _Lucy says._

"Ok, Lucy. We have to go now. Who's gonna be in the operating room with you?" _The nurse asks Lucy._

 _Well, the answer should be pretty obvious. Me._

"How many people are allowed in there?" _Lucy asks._

 _What kind of question is that supposed to be? She should have told her that I would be in there with here._

"Only two people, but I'll have to ask just to make sure"

"Ok, then it'll be my mom and the baby's father"

 _The baby's father? That's all I am? Don't get me wrong, I'm over the moon about becoming a dad, but why didn't Lucy just tell her I'm her husband?_

"Well, then let's get rolling. I'm nurse Emma by the way" _The kind nurse tells us. While wheeling Lucy out of the room, with us following suit behind them._

 _As we get out in the lobby we see Lewis standing up holding Lily's hands and John; Lucy's dad standing right next to him._

* * *

 **Lucy's POV:**

 _When nurse Emma wheels me out of the room, I see daddy, Lewis and Lily._

 _Oh God! I'm gonna miss these guys so much._

 _I feel awful for putting them all through this trouble._

"Hi, daddy" _I greet my father who's looking at me with tears of joy in his eyes. After all, he's about to meet his second grand baby._

"Hey, baby. You're about to meet your baby now. Don't worry, I'll be waiting for you right here when you come out to welcome my baby girl's baby" _He promises me as he kisses my forehead._

"I love you, daddy. Hey, Lilz. I love you baby. Remember your promise to help with the baby? I want you to keep it, ok?" _I say as I watch her nod her head in understanding._

"And Jack too?" _I ask her._

"Yes, I promise we'll take good care of the baby and Jack together" _She says smiling at me._

 _She probably means that me and her will take care of the baby together._

"Ok, thank you, baby. I love you so much, Lily" _I tell her_.

"I love you too, Lu. I'll be waiting for you and the baby in here so I could say hi" _She promises._

* * *

 _Sadly, I can't promise her to be welcoming my baby boy with them. That is something, until now, uncertain._

 **Ten minutes later.**

 **Lucy's POV :**

 _I'm already under regional anesthesia. Obviously I can't feel the pain, but I can certainly feel some pressure. My momma is holding my hand now, to make sure I'm holding it together._

 _Honestly, I don't know how I'm feeling right now. They're about to deliver my son, my ray of sunshine, my light of hope, my Noah. That's all I'm thinking of right now. No one else matter right now, not me, not Ian, only Noah matters._

 _Ian is standing next to me, waiting anxiously to meet the baby. He tried to hold my hand only once since we came into the OR, but I quickly shrugged it off. There's no need to pretend that we're doing ok. Nothing is ok in our marriage anymore._

" _The baby is out" "It's a baby boy" "Where is this blood coming from?" "Lucy, we have a son" "He's so beautiful, baby girl"_

 _All I hear is jumbled mess. But in the midst of it all, I could only hear " **The baby is not breathing** "_

Lucy: N-Noah!

 _All turns black._

 **Ian's POV:**

 _I watch as the doctors pull out our baby. The baby is covered in blood and other stuff, but still is as beautiful as it gets. The doctors say it's a boy. Oh, he's a beautiful baby boy with A head full of baby hair, body red as a tomato, but... but he's not breathing. Why is he not breathing?_

 _W-what's happening? Why is the room suddenly so noisy?_

 _I turn to look at Lucy, to try to assure her that our baby boy will fight like the strong fighter I'm sure he is, but all I see is her face, so so pale. And for the first time, I notice Julie shouting over the constant peeping of Lucy's heart monitor. Why is it peeping so loud? When did it flat-line?_

Ian: What's wrong with Lucy? Why did my wife's heart stop? What the hell is happening?

Doctor: Mr. Harding, we are gonna need you to step outside, please. Let us do our job in here.

Ian: Like hell will I take a step outside.

Doctor: Please, Mr. Harding. We're gonna do our best to save both your son and wife. We don't have time for any distractions, please. A nurse will keep you updated, I promise.

 _I certainly don't wanna interfere with their work. I can't distract them from saving my wife and our baby boy. I look at a devastated Julie sobbing by the corner of the room. I lead her and myself outside where I see a lot of smiling people waiting for the amazing news of baby H's arrival. Their smiles turn to frowns the second they see our faces. I watch as Lily untangles her hand from Maggie's and runs to us, oblivious to our broken state._

Lily: Is the baby finally here? Can I see it?

 _Her question causes Julie's sobs to only grow louder, and brings me to my knees sobbing myself._

Maggie: No! NO! Momma, is Lucy ok? What happened to Lucy?

 _At this moment, a nurse comes out through the door, walking towards us._

Ian: Is everything ok? Did you save them?

Nurse: The baby is now thankfully breathing on his own. We're gonna keep him in the NICU, just to make sure he's all good.

Ian: What about Lucy? What's happening to her?

Nurse: I have to go back inside. I'll keep you posted. The doctors are doing everything they can right now.

 _She informs us as she hurries back into the OR._

Maggie: Why isn't anyone talking? What's wrong with Lucy?

 _Maggie all but raises her voice._

 _I can't form any words to come out of my mouth. I'm too scared for my wife to even notice my family having arrived in the waiting room with us._

 _What's happening to us? What did we do wrong to deserve this? I don't know what I'd do if I ever lose the love of my life. I can't lose Lucy, ever. God! She was so pissed at me in there. I did this to her. She thinks... thought that I was cheating on her because I've been lying about my whereabouts, but I would never do something like this to her. I'm such an idiot. I'm such a stupid jerk for losing my Lucy this way. I swear as soon as she wakes up, I'll do my best to make it up to her, to us._

 _I can vaguely hear Julia explaining what happened to our family. Next thing I know is Maggie storming her way at me._

Maggie: What did you do to my sister?

Ian: I didn't do anything.

Maggie: Sure. She called me the other day crying, sobbing on the phone, and begging me to take her out of the house because you didn't do anything. I swear to God, Ian, if anything happens to my sister, I'll rip your head off and I wouldn't care.

Ian: Do you think I would ever do anything to hurt her?

Maggie: All I know right now is that my sister is in there probably not fighting for her life because of something you did. You can now go meet your son, that's all you're here for. After Lucy is out of surgery, you are to step into the room with her only if the baby is in there and you want to see him, other than that, you won't take a single step too close to my sister.

Ian: That's my wife in there, of course I'm gonna be there for her. Who are you to say I can't be there for my wife?

Maggie: I'm her sister. Besides, it wasn't me who said so. It was Lucy herself who told me not to let you near her, even if... even if she...

Julie: Even if she what?

Ian: Even if what?

Maggie: EVEN IF SHE DIDN'T MAKE IT. God! She knew there was a possibility that she may not make it out alive.

 _Maggie lets us know before breaking into sobs in Lewis' arms._

 _She knew? She knew she might die giving birth to our son and she didn't tell me? I may never get a chance to say sorry to her for being an absolute idiot jerk, I might not even get a chance to say goodbye to the love of my life who wants nothing to do with me even when she.. even when she's gone._

 **Thirty minutes later.**

 _What the hell is taking them so long? Why isn't anyone out here with us to tell us what's happening? I'm going out of my..._

 _Finally, the doctors are out of the OR._

Ian: What happened? Is Lucy ok? Tell me, how is Lucy now?

Doctor: I'm sorry, Mr. Harding. We did everything we could to help her. She's stable for now, but she's in a coma.

Julie: NO! My baby!

John: What happened to Lucy? What do you mean she's stable for now? What does that mean?

 _He asks with tears streaming down his face. This is his daughter for God's sake, he might lose his baby girl, and it's all my fault._

Doctor: Once we delivered the baby, the baby had been in too much stress that we had to choose between the baby and the mother, which she'd already had an idea of. Mrs. Harding had signed the papers that stated that when it comes down to it, we should give the baby the priority before attending to her. We had the pediatrician in the room with us if needed, which we did because the baby wasn't breathing on his own, but now he thankfully is. Once the baby was taken care of, he was immediately taken to the NICU to be observed for the night. In the mean time we'd been handling Mrs. Harding, there was a tear in her womb that caused heavy bleeding, she lost too much blood, but thankfully we were able to repair it. It's now a matter of will and time for her body to recover so she could wake up from her coma.

Ian: How long do you think it would take for her to wake up?

Doctor: If she stays stable and well, then it could take days, months, she could even wake up within the next few hours. It all depends on her body's ability to recover from such trauma. I have to go now, but I'll be back to check up on her. Excuse me.

 _The Doctor informs us before walking away._

Lily: Momma, when can we see Lu and the baby?

Maggie: Auntie Lu is sleeping, baby. She's tired right now and she needs to rest.

Lily: But if she's asleep, who's gonna take care of the baby?

 _Maggie bursts into tears at Lily's question._

 _If Lucy is in a coma, then who's to take care of our baby boy? I'd already let her down, and now our baby boy is all alone in a place where there's no one he knows. He came into a world where his mommy could not exist for the first hours, days, or maybe even months of his life, all because of me. I did this. I caused her pain, I caused her to stress, and I am the reason my wife never got to hold our son after his birth._

Ian: I'm sorry.

 _I keep saying over and over, even though neither Lucy or our son can hear me._

 _I can't stand to be with anyone right now who knows I put my wife in a coma because of my stupidity and wrong decisions. I wish I could take all of Lucy's pain away, I wish I would've been in there instead of her. I wish our son had his mother now instead of a father who'd let him down the first moment he came into this world._

 _I feel a hand on my shoulder, and I look up at my father who's looking sympathetically at me. I don't need anyone to pity me, I don't deserve their sorrow, I don't deserve to be looked at like this. I just need my wife back, and I want her to want me back._

Stephen: Come take a walk with me.

Ian: No, I don't wanna leave Lucy. I can't leave her. I'm gonna be by her side every minute from now on. I don't care how tired I am, she's had it worse. No matter how sleep-deprived I'm, I'll be waiting for my wife to open her eyes, to look at me again. I don't care if she hates me, I only care for her to be healthy again.

 _I say, weeping shamelessly at the thought of my helpless wife in there_.

Maggie: Now you wanna stay with her? Where were you when she needed you these past couple of weeks? Where were you when she was supposed to be on bed rest, and you were God knows where? She needed you and you weren't there for her, and now you wanna be the good, loving husband? She went into that operating room, thinking about her baby's safety, not hers.

 _Maggie all but shouts at me._

 _I get that she's angry, but damn it, so am I_.

Julie: Mag...

Maggie: No, Mom. Do you know what she told me before we came to the hospital? She asked me to take care of her baby and treat them just like my own. When I asked her if she had a death wish or something, she told me that she only cares about what's best for the baby. Now, tell me, Ian. Where were you when the doctor told her that she might not make it out of the delivery room?

 _Oh My God! Now I know how much of an asshole I've been to my wife and so does everybody else in the room._

Lily: Momma, did the baby kill auntie Lu?

 _She whimpers._

 _That's when I really lose it. First, I let my wife down, and I wasn't there for her. And then, I get my son accused of "killing" his mother._

 _I jump up, running out of the room. I don't know where I'm heading, I only know that I really need to get out of here._

 _Lucy is lying helplessly on a hospital bed, and it's all because of me._

 _I can never forget the cold glare she gave me when I tried to hold her hand during the delivery. I might lose my wife, and the last thing I would remember about her is the hatred in her eyes towards me._

* * *

 **A/N: OH MY GOD! How crazy was that? What did you think of Lucy's decision to keep Ian away from her? How do you feel about Maggie's outburst? What about Lily's concern about her Auntie's well-being? Poor Noah! He's ok now, but no one welcomed him into the world as he should've been. Tell me what you think would happen next.**

 **Kisses,**

 **Esraa.**


	7. Chapter6- Damaged Enough

**Ian's POV:**

 _It's been a week since our baby boy was born._

 _His name is Noah, or so I've been told by Julie. She said that L-Lucy had told her his name before going into that doomed delivery room._

 _It's hard to believe that Noah came into the world a week ago. Although he's stable, his doctor said that he should stay in the nursery for further check-ups. He's already a week-old, and has yet to meet either of his parents. Yes, that's right, I haven't met my son yet. I mean, how can I see him for the first time when I know that I'm the reason his mother has yet to hold him, kiss him, or look at him in awe? How can I look into his eyes and not wanna break down because I'm the reason he's lying in a nursery all because his mother isn't there for him? How can I stand to listen to him crying of hunger asking for his mother to feed him, wailing in fear waiting for Lucy to comfort him in her arms, and sing him to sleep?_

 _I haven't talked to anyone ever since the delivery day. My folks come to check up on us to see how we're doing, and visit little Noah. Lucy's parents visit everyday. Maggie on the other hand, she never leaves. She's either in Lucy's room with Noah, keeping her company, or she's at the nursery visiting Noah._

 _God! How would I ever begin to describe how I'm feeling right now? I can't see my son because I don't have enough courage to face him, and I can't see my wife because I don't have the choice to take even one step closer to her without Maggie going down my throat._

 _I feel ashamed of me to call myself her husband. I should've been her rock, her shoulder to cry on, and I should've been there for her every step of the way, but I wasn't. I hurt her too much for her to not want me in the same room with her, even if she were not to make it. God! I've been too much of an idiot that I made her believe that she wasn't my priority. I left her to deal with all of this on her own. The secret I kept from her was to protect her and not worry and stress her, but I, myself, did the exact opposite. I made the wrong decision when I was forced to promise to keep this secret, I should've told my wife. I should've chosen my family over keeping my friend's secret. I..._

 _I'm knocked out of my thoughts by a tapping on my shoulder. I look up to see Julie looking at me with teary eyes. This the first time she's approached me since we were in the delivery room with Lucy_.

Julie: Lucy is awake.

 _Why is she torturing me like this? Is this some kind of a sick joke they want to play on me? I know I've been a shitty husband to her daughter, but how could she be so cruel and lie to me about this?_

Ian: Why are you doing this to me? Why are you trying to get my hopes up, only for them to be crushed down when I look at her lying helplessly in a hospital bed? I know I've not been the best husband in the world, but please, let me rot in here waiting in agony and self-despise by myself . I don't...

 _My voice is raspy, probably from not using it in a week. But I got cut off by Julie jerking my shoulders back to make me look into her eyes._

Julie: I'm telling you, Ian. Lucy is awake now. You haven't been a bad son-in-law, you just made a mistake, we all do, we're all humans. I know you well enough to know you wouldn't intentionally hurt my daughter. Your wife is awake now in her room, with your son, who you have yet to meet. They will need you now, more than they ever did.

Ian: Th-they're both ok now? L-Lucy is awake?

 _I ask her, looking her in the eye, trying to hold on to this ray of hope_.

Julie: They are both fine, Ian.

 _She assures me_.

Ian: Oh dear God!

 _I shamelessly weep in front of my mother-in-law._

 _My wife and son are both healthy. My wife is finally awake to welcome our son into her life, and our baby boy got to meet his mother who he's been waiting for, at last. My wife and son are both safe and sound now. They're both happy to be with each other now. I can't ruin things for them, again_.

Julie: Ian?

 _Julie's voice brings me back into reality again_.

Ian: You go ahead, Julie. I'll be there in a minute. I just need to pull myself together.

 _Julie offers me a small smile_.

Julie: Just don't take too long, they're both waiting for you in there.

She says before walking away towards Lucy's room.

 **Ten minutes later**.

 _As I finally step just outside Lucy's room, I could hear Maggie clearly telling Lucy how Noah had missed his Mommy._

 _'I'm the reason for that' I thought to myself. 'I'm the reason she was not the first arms to hold our baby boy. I did this'_

 _Before I get the chance to knock on the door, I hear Lucy asking_ "What do you mean 'finally meet his son?' "

"Ian hasn't talked to anyone ever since that day, baby. He's been beating himself up for what happened. Maggie told him off enough for him to not sleep at all this past week. It was our worst nightmare" I _hear Julie tell her_.

 _It wasn't just what Maggie said. I'm not angry with her at the slightest, because she's right. I failed everyone in the family, I even let my son down. How could he ever look up to me, when I couldn't even save the most precious thing I have? I ruined my marriage, and lost my wife's love and trust in me._

 _As soon as I put up my hand to knock on the door, I jerk it back to my side. Who am I to step into this room only to see the smile fade off of Lucy's face just as soon as she sees me. I messed things up, and I should be the one to face the consequences._

 _I step back just before the door opens. I look up to see Maggie startled by me standing in front of her_.

Maggie: Are you coming in?

 _She asks_.

Ian: I-I... No.

Maggie: What do you mean no?

 _I can't help the tears flowing down my face_.

Ian: I'm s-sorry.

"Ian?" I can hear Lucy's angelic voice calling me. God! How I've missed her voice.

Ian: Y-yeah, it's me.

 _I answer, not daring to step any closer into the room to look into her face_.

Lucy: Come in, Ian. I want you to meet our son.

 _She weakly asks me_.

Ian: I can't.

 _I mumble quietly, but apparently not quiet enough for everyone not to hear me_.

Lucy: Can't or Won't?

 _I can hear the aggravation in her sound as she asks me_.

Julie: We're gonna leave you three alone.

 _She tells me as she makes her way out of the room, along with Maggie. She gives my defeated shoulder a gentle squeeze before walking away_.

Ian: I'm...

Lucy: Don't you dare say you're sorry, Ian. It's already too late for that.

 _Lucy whisperingly shouts at me, cutting me off, but carful not to wake Noah up_.

 _I vow my head down, ashamed of myself. Ashamed of the wrong I've done my family_.

Lucy: Would you just fucking just step into the room so I wouldn't crane my neck much more than I'm doing right now?

 _She raises her voice._

 _I tentatively make my way closer into the room where my disappointed wife and son lay in an uncomfortable hospital bed, all because of me_.

Ian: I-is he ok?

 _I ask Lucy as Noah whimpers in her arm. I ask, not daring to take my eyes off my feet_.

Lucy: Do you even care? You didn't even visit him to make sure he was ok.

Ian: Lucy, I..

Lucy: I mean, what the hell did do that was so wrong for you to shut me and our son out? What changed, Ian? What happened to you? You neglected our son for a week, and never once tried to visit him? What's his fault in all this, huh? Tell me, please.

Ian: IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF ME.

 _I shout, disturbing Noah more than he's already been disturbed_.

Ian: If I wouldn't have been so stupid and careless with you, you wouldn't have to go through all this trouble and pain all on your own, and Noah would've met both his parents the moment he was born.

Lucy: Ian, don't...

Ian: No, I chose to keep a secret from you, but only to keep the worry and stress away from you, but it only caused you pain and almost costed your life. My God, Lucy, when I saw our son lying there in the doctor's arms, not breathing, the first thing I did was turning around to comfort you and tell you that everything was going to be alright, but there you were all pale, turning blue with your eyes closed. When our son was born, I was supposed to hear him crying, and we were supposed to be shedding tears of joy, but all there was in that operating room was silence, until I heard the sickening sound of the flatlined heart monitor. For a couple of agonizing long minutes, I lost both my wife and son. I stood there listening to the doctors shouting, trying to save my son, leaving you all by yourself, only because you told the not to help you unless they've helped our son first. I'm still living in those moments, Lucy. I can still see your pale face, the way you were suddenly bleeding, and I could still hear your mother screaming your name for you to just open your eyes. When we were forced to leave the room, everyone was patiently waiting for the good news which neither me, nor your mother had. She told everyone what's going on, and Maggie all but told me off. She told how much of an asshole I've been to you, she told me all bout what the doctors told you, and how you asked her to keep me away from you, even.. even if you were not to make it out, which you didn't feel the need to tell me any of this because I failed to be the caring husband I've always promised you to be. I promised to always keep you happy, but I've miserably failed this simple task of a loyal husband. I know that saying sorry doesn't even begin to make you forgive me, but I am so terribly sorry for not being the husband and the father you'd seen in me.

Lucy: You made me feel like you're not so into this marriage anymore, Ian. You made me feel alone in the house, with you in the same room. I-I needed someone to talk to, to make me feel cared for, but you were never there. You didn't tell me that you've been meeting with your ex, he'll you wouldn't even tell me what you were meeting with her for. You were always "busy". You always went out early, and got back so late at night that I thought you must be tired or stressed about shooting as many scenes as you can before the baby is born, but then I find out that you'd finished shooting your scenes for a week? It was so easy for you to lie to my face about your whereabouts. How was I supposed to feel about this, Ian? You made me feel like a single mother expecting her first child, who she might never see if she weren't to make it out alive out of the delivery room. You are right, it may not be easy for me to forgive you, but I'm willing to try for the sake of my son, but right now, I don't think we could ever be the same again.

Ian: Again, Lucy, I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused you, all of you. Whatever you want, I'll make sure not to disturb you in any way.

 _I promise as I turn to leave the room_.

Lucy: You still haven't met Noah yet.

Ian: I can't face him after all I've caused for the both of you. I can't meet him, _because then goodbye would be even harder._

 _I whisper the last part to myself before I dash out of the room, ignoring Lucy's calls for me_.

 **I've damaged enough**.

* * *

 **A/N: So, Lucy and Noah are both awake and healthy, but what about Ian? Comment below to let me know what you thought of this chapter and what you think is gonna happen next.**

 **Kisses,**

 **Esraa.**


	8. Chapter7- A Letter Of Unheard Excuses

**IMPORTANT**

 **A/N: So before you read this chapter, I would like to say something VERY IMPORTANT.**

 **Suicide is not the answer to your problems. No one and nothing is worth losing your life for. You have a problem, you face it. When you think things are getting too hard, talk to someone about it. It's not weakness to ask for any kind of help. It's not a shame to declare your defeat, it only means you've already dealt with too much. God only gives us hard times because he wants us to turn to him for help with prayers and having faith in him. Don't think people suffering as much as you do, because believe they might be, they just don't show it much. They suffer in silence, which is not always wise.**

 **If you need help, ask for it. Don't chicken out. I mean, what's the worst that could happen if you did? You'd at least get help looking at things differently, and maybe find a way to figure it out.**

* * *

 _'Because then goodbye would be even harder'_

 **Lucy's POV** :

 _I've been awake for a while now. Momma and Maggie have been keeping me company since I woke up from my come. They told me I've been in a coma for a week now, but I'm feeling like I've been gone for only a short while though. I finally met my baby boy; Noah. He's such a sweetheart. Momma says he looks just like me when was first born, but I am see he has a resemblance to Ian too. Yes, he has my eye color and mouth, but he has Ian's eye shape, nose and cheek bones. His hair is light brown, much like Ian's hair when he was little. And he is so little, much like me, unfortunately. But all in all, he is our little blessing. Maggie keeps telling me that he missed me._

 _I look up at momma who's just come back into the room as she'd left a few minutes ago._

"Momma, where did you go?" _I ask as soon as she takes a seat on the chair next to my hospital bed._

"I went to tell Ian the good news. Poor boy has been alone in the waiting room for a week now. He hasn't talked to anyone since the doctor told him you went into a coma" _Momma says._

"And whose fault is that?" _I hear Maggie mutter._

"Maggie" _Momma sternly scolds her._

"What's going on?" _I ask both of them._

"Nothing, baby girl. We should probably go. Ian is gonna be here any minute" _Momma says as she gets up from her seat._

"Yeah, so he could finally meet his son" _Maggie scoffs, getting up heading for the door._

"What do you mean 'finally meat his son?' " _I ask, confused._

 _Ian has yet to meet Noah? How could he leave our son on his own? What's his fault in all this? Hell, what's my fault in all of this?_

"Ian hasn't talked to anyone ever since that day, baby. He's been beating himself up for what happened. Maggie told him off enough for him to not sleep at all this past week. It was our worst nightmare" _Momma tells me._

 _Well, he should be feeling bad for us, but to leave his son on his own? That's not anything like Ian, but yet again, this past month, Ian hasn't been the same._

 _Maggie opens the door and looks startled._

"Are you coming in?" _Maggie asks the person at the door._

"I-I... no" _That's definitely Ian's voice._

"What do you mean no?" _She asks him again._

"I'm s-sorry" _I can hear the sorrow in his voice._

"Ian?" _I call for him._

"Y-yeah, it's me" _He answers._

"Come in, Ian. I want you to meet our son" _I weakly ask him._

"I can't" _He simply answers._

 _This answer only causes me to get angry._

"Can't or Won't?" _I can help the aggravation in my voice as i ask him_.

"We're gonna leave you three alone" _Momma tells me as she makes her way out of the room, along with Maggie._

"I'm..." _Ian starts talking_

"Don't you dare say you're sorry, Ian. It's already too late for that"

 _I whisperingly shout at him, cutting him off, but carful not to wake Noah up._

 _He bows his head down, ashamed of himself._

"Would you just fucking just step into the room so I wouldn't crane my neck much more than I'm doing right now?" _I raise my voice._

 _He tentatively makes his way closer into the room._

"I-is he ok?" _He asks as Noah whimpers in my arm. He asks, not daring to take his eyes off his feet_.

"Do you even care? You didn't even visit him to make sure he was ok" _I can't help but scoff at him._

"Lucy, I.." _He talks but I cut him off again._

"I mean, what the hell did I do that was so wrong for you to shut me and our son out? What changed, Ian? What happened to you? You neglected our son for a week, and never once tried to visit him? What's his fault in all this, huh? Tell me, please"

"IT'S ALL BECAUSE OF ME" _He shouts, disturbing Noah more than he's already been disturbed._ "If I wouldn't have been so stupid and careless with you, you wouldn't have to go through all this trouble and pain all on your own, and Noah would've met both his parents the moment he was born" _He adds, in a quieter tone._

"Ian, don't..." _I do want him to feel bad about how he's been treating me, treating us, but it's not his fault that I got into a coma. It's nobody's fault_.

"No, I chose to keep a secret from you, but only to keep the worry and stress away from you, but it only caused you pain and almost costed your life. My God, Lucy, when I saw our son lying there in the doctor's arms, not breathing, the first thing I did was turning around to comfort you and tell you that everything was going to be alright, but there you were all pale, turning blue with your eyes closed. When our son was born, I was supposed to hear him crying, and we were supposed to be shedding tears of joy, but all there was in that operating room was silence, until I heard the sickening sound of the flatlined heart monitor. For a couple of agonizing long minutes, I lost both my wife and son. I stood there listening to the doctors shouting, trying to save my son, leaving you all by yourself, only because you told the not to help you unless they've helped our son first. I'm still living in those moments, Lucy. I can still see your pale face, the way you were suddenly bleeding, and I could still hear your mother screaming your name for you to just open your eyes. When we were forced to leave the room, everyone was patiently waiting for the good news which neither me, nor your mother had. She told everyone what's going on, and Maggie all but told me off. She told mehow much of an asshole I've been to you, she told me all bout what the doctors told you, and how you asked her to keep me away from you, even.. even if you were not to make it out, which you didn't feel the need to tell me any of it because I failed to be the caring husband I've always promised you to be. I promised to always keep you happy, but I've miserably failed this simple task of a loyal husband. I know that saying sorry doesn't even begin to make you forgive me, but I am so terribly sorry for not being the husband and the father you'd seen in me" _He whimpers._

 _I do feel sorry for him, but I just have to let him know what he caused_.

"You made me feel like you're not so into this marriage anymore, Ian. You made me feel alone in the house, with you in the same room. I-I needed someone to talk to, to make me feel cared for, but you were never there. You didn't tell me that you've been meeting with your ex, hell, you wouldn't even tell me what you were meeting with her for. You were always "busy". You always went out early, and got back so late at night that I thought you must be tired or stressed about shooting as many scenes as you can before the baby is born, but then I find out that you'd finished shooting your scenes for a week? It was so easy for you to lie to my face about your whereabouts. How was I supposed to feel about this, Ian? You made me feel like a single mother expecting her first child, who she might never see if she weren't to make it out alive out of the delivery room. You are right, it may not be easy for me to forgive you, but I'm willing to try for the sake of my son, but right now, I don't think we could ever be the same again" _I confess._

"Again, Lucy, I'm sorry for all the pain I've caused you, all of you. Whatever you want, I'll make sure not to disturb you in any way" _He promises as he turns to leave the room._

"You still haven't met Noah yet" _I stop him._

"I can't face him after all I've caused for the both of you. I can't meet him, _because then goodbye would be even harder_ " _He whispers the last part to himself before he dashes out of the room, ignoring my calls for him._

 **An hour later.**

 **Ian's POV:**

 ** _Dear Lucy,_**

 ** _You calling me right now, probably to tell me off for running out on you earlier. I'm sorry for that. Anyway, words cannot describe how much of a failure husband I'm feeling right now. I didn't need you words to cut through my heart for me to get that you're disappointed in your decision to accept me as your husband, I could already see it in your eyes, I could see the look you gave me, full of disappointment and regret, and I'm terribly sorry for what I did._**

 ** _I know you wouldn't want to hear the reasons for my behavior, but I rightfully owe it to you. The day I told you that I met with Mindy, it wasn't the first time, I met with her, nor was it the last, but I swear to to you, Luce, I never, not once, cheated on you with her, or any one else. I was helping her through some tough issues she'd been dealing with. Someone had been threatening her, Luce, and I was the only one she told me about it. I promised her to stand by her and try to protect her as much as I can, but then I failed. One day, she called me, and once I picked up the phone, I just knew it, she's in trouble. I drove to her house, and when I walked up to her door, it was already open, so I walked right in. At first, you'd think everything was normal, but nothing really was. I kept calling her name, but never got a response. I heard a thud upstairs, so I run up the stairs to figure out what it was, and when I got to her bedroom I tried to open the door, but it was locked from inside. I kept knocking and calling for her, but she never answered me. That's when I knew she'd done something stupid. I broke the door down, and stepped into the room, trying to figure out what she'd done, that's when I found a chair on the floor, knocked over, by her nearly limb body that was hanging from the ceiling. She hung herself, Lucy. I freaked out, I was in total shock by what displayed in front of me. I quickly cut the rope from around her neck and helped her down on the floor. I called 911, I don't know how the woman on the line understood what I told her, I was in hysterics, but she did and ten minutes later, the paramedics were all over her, trying to save her. I curled in a ball in the corner, trying to find an explanation as to why she would do something like that, why she would just choose to end her life, but I came up with nothing, only because I never really understood how she was feeling at the moment, but now I know exactly how it is. It's the last best option you have before you realize that you do it for the people around you, you don't expect them to deal with your problems anymore than they have to. You do it because you can't do that one simple task asked of you, to keep them safe and happy._**

 ** _I realized that I'm not very good at keeping promises. I broke my promise to your parents when I asked them your hand in marriage and promised to treat you as more than a queen._**

 ** _I disappointed my parents by not being the son they could be proud of to all their own._**

 ** _I failed you, I failed my son, and I messed up the family of our own that we've been dreaming of._**

 ** _I want you to know that I only want what's best for you and our son who I could never meet face to face for I never got the courage to face him only to see the same disappointment and shame in his eyes to have a father like me._**

 ** _I love you, Goose, I hope you know that, and I hope our son remembers me as the father who loved him so much, not as the father who failed everyone, including himself._**

 ** _Ian._**

 _I finish writing the letter. I know this the coward way to run away from my problems, but it's the only way to end them, it's the only way to stop hurting everyone around me._

 _I'm sitting here in our baby boy's nursery. I look at the beach-themed walls. I remember when we decided on that theme out of three others. Our themes of choice were either beach, jungle, or carnival. But since we both love the beach, we went with this choice. Star fish, beach umbrella, and anchors. I even bought a surprise gift for the baby; a stuffed dolphin with 'Baby H' embedded onto it. I guess Noah would have to get it once he gets home, if not, maybe someone from my family would just give it to him when they come to the house._

 _I look down at the bottle in my hand. Maybe it would be easier to just swallow the pills all at once so I wouldn't stop my self in the middle of taking them if I take them one by one. I can't cut my wrists, nuh, I would then make a mess. It's probably quicker to take the pills, less messier._

 _I unscrew the bottle, and take a handful of pills in my hand._

 _This is it._

 _This is how I cowardly end my problems._

 _This is how I put my shame to rest._

 _This **is** the end_.

* * *

 **A/N: Sooo here's your new chapter. Poor Ian. Who do you think would find him? And would it be too late to save him? Keep reading to find out what happens next.**

 **Kisses,**

 **Esraa**.


	9. Chapter8- Our Fairytale Ending

**A/N: heeeey, guys. Here's a new chapter. Hope you'll enjoy it as the last one.**

 **dear guest, please, be patient.i would never kill Ian off. Who do you think I am? Marlene King? Hehehe (;**

* * *

'This **is** the end'

 **Lucy's POV:**

 _It's been three hours since Ian ran away from me, maybe he's just not as willing to fight for us as I thought he would be. Maybe, I should just start gett nag used to the life of being a single mother, I mean, he literally refused to meet his own son._

 _Maggie and Lily walk back into the room. Lily looks like she's been crying, and Maggie also seems upset._

Lucy: What's wrong, Lily bug?

 _I ask her as I'm rocking Noah in my arms, trying to calm him down._

Lily: I'm very sad.

 _She whimpers, before bursting into tears._

Lucy: Why? Aren't you happy to see me and baby Noah?

 _I try to cheer her up. Talking about the baby always did that._

 _She shakes her little head and buries her face into Maggie's leg._

 _I look up at Maggie and she looks like she on the verge of tears herself._

 _What on earth is going on?_

Lucy: Maggie, what's wrong? Why are you two looking like you've been crying? And why is lily this upset? I thought she was excited about the baby?

 _Maggie avoids looking into my eyes as tears slowly run down her cheeks._

Lily: I don't want the baby anymore.

Maggie: Lily...

Lucy: What? But I thought you were excited to help me with the baby.

Lily: No. This is a bad baby.

 _Lily all but yells at me._

 _Noah was just about to close his eyes to sleep, but Lily's cries startled him, and now he's crying all over again, he has been since Ian left in a hurry._

Lucy: Shhh! It's ok. It's ok.

 _I try to soothe the crying baby before I look at Lily who's being comforted by Maggie._

Lucy: Why is Noah a bad baby, Lily? What did he ever do to you?

Lily: He killed you, and...

 _Her sobs now turned into whimpers._

 _WHAT?! What makes Lily think that?_

Lucy: What are you talking about, Lilz. I'm right her.

 _I cut her off._

Maggie: Lily, baby, we told you it wasn't the baby's fault.

 _Maggie tells her before she looks up at me to elaborate_.

Maggie: She blames the baby for your coma.

 _She seems apologetic_.

Lucy: But Lily, I'm ok now. Your Momma is right, it wasn't the baby's fault. I was just so tired after the baby came so I went to sleep.

Lily: But Grandma said that your heart stopped, and that you may not wake up.

Lucy: But aren't I here now? I'm ok and healthy again. I'm sorry that I got worried.

 _I apologize to her, hoping it would make her feel better_.

Lily: Is Uncle Ian gonna be ok too? Is he gonna wake up too like you did, Auntie Lu?

 _Her question earns a startled gasp from Maggie who's hiding her face in her hand that's not holding Lily's shoulder._

Lucy: What is she talking about, Maggie?

Maggie: Uh...

Lily: Auntie Sarah told me Uncle Ian is sleeping like you were, and he is gonna be ok, but she was crying so much she could drown the town.

 _Ian is sleeping just like I was? What does that mean? Is he finally asleep after a week of insomnia? Momma said he hasn't slept since I went into a coma. Yeah this must be it, but why was Sarah crying that hard?_

Lucy: What happened with Ian, Maggie?

 _As she looks up at me, I can see her beautiful blue eyes are now bloodshot._

Lucy: Maggie, is Ian alright?

 _She slowly makes her way over to me, and hands me a folded paper._

Maggie: Let me hold Noah while you read it.

 _She says, taking Noah out of my arms._

 _I look up at her, trying to find the answer to my question before reading the paper she just gave me because I know that whatever it is that's written on it, it's bad enough for everyone to lose it._

Maggie: Just read it, Lucy. I think Ian would've wanted you to. I'm gonna take the kids out, and send Momma back in.

 _She says before grabbing Lily's little hand and walking out of the room._

 _I look down at the paper in my hand, it's folded in half and I can see Ian's handwriting; 'Lucy'_

 _I open the paper, and start to skim over the words, not really letting them sink in, as the can't be true, Ian wouldn't do something like that to himself, to me, to us._

 ** _Dear Lucy,_**

 ** _You calling me right now, probably to tell me off for running out on you earlier. I'm sorry for that. Anyway, words cannot describe how much of a failure husband I'm feeling right now. I didn't need you words to cut through my heart for me to get that you're disappointed in your decision to accept me as your husband, I could already see it in your eyes, I could see the look you gave me, full of disappointment and regret, and I'm terribly sorry for what I did._**

 ** _I know you wouldn't want to hear the reasons for my behavior, but I rightfully owe it to you. The day I told you that I met with Mindy, it wasn't the first time, I met with her, nor was it the last, but I swear to to you, Luce, I never, not once, cheated on you with her, or any one else. I was helping her through some tough issues she'd been dealing with. Someone had been threatening her, Luce, and I was the only one she told me about it. I promised her to stand by her and try to protect her as much as I can, but then I failed. One day, she called me, and once I picked up the phone, I just knew it, she's in trouble. I drove to her house, and when I walked up to her door, it was already open, so I walked right in. At first, you'd think everything was normal, but nothing really was. I kept calling her name, but never got a response. I heard a thud upstairs, so I run up the stairs to figure out what it was, and when I got to her bedroom I tried to open the door, but it was locked from inside. I kept knocking and calling for her, but she never answered me. That's when I knew she'd done something stupid. I broke the door down, and stepped into the room, trying to figure out what she'd done, that's when I found a chair on the floor, knocked over, by her nearly limb body that was hanging from the ceiling. She hung herself, Lucy. I freaked out, I was in total shock by what displayed in front of me. I quickly cut the rope from around her neck and helped her down on the floor. I called 911, I don't know how the woman on the line understood what I told her, I was in hysterics, but she did and ten minutes later, the paramedics were all over her, trying to save her. I curled in a ball in the corner, trying to find an explanation as to why she would do something like that, why she would just choose to end her life, but I came up with nothing, only because I never really understood how she was feeling at the moment, but now I know exactly how it is. It's the last best option you have before you realize that you do it for the people around you, you don't expect them to deal with your problems anymore than they have to. You do it because you can't do that one simple task asked of you, to keep them safe and happy._**

 ** _I realized that I'm not very good at keeping promise_** ** _s. I broke my promise to your parents when I asked them your hand in marriage and promised to treat you as more than a queen._**

 ** _I disappointed my parents by not being the son they could be proud of to all their own._**

 ** _I failed you, I failed my son, and I messed up the family of our own that we've been dreaming of._**

 ** _I want you to know that I only want what's best for you and our son who I could never meet face to face for I never got the courage to face him only to see the same disappointment and shame in his eyes to have a father like me._**

 ** _I love you, Goose, I hope you know that, and I hope our son remembers me as the father who loved him so much, not as the father who failed everyone, including himself._**

 ** _Ian._**

 _Oh My God! What have you done Ian?_

 _Momma comes through the door, looking like a solemn mother who's just been told that her son-in-law just tried to take his own life. Oh wait? It's exactly what just happened._

Julie: Hey, baby girl.

Lucy: Ian didn't commit suicide, Momma, did he? He is ok, at home, right? He couldn't have done this to me and his son, Momma, I just know it.

 _I whimper as Momma comes to engulf me in her warm arms, but I don't need that. I need to know that it's not true, I need to know that Ian is fine somewhere trying to live happily._

Lucy: Momma! He can't go, Momma. I need him, we both need him.

 _I sob in my Momma's arms._

Julie: Shh, baby. He's alright now. He's gonna be just fine.

 _She says, trying to soothe me._

Lucy: What happened, Momma?

Julie: H-he took some pills. He was at home. Sarah kept calling him, but he wouldn't answer, like he has been doing all week, she texted him that she was going to the house to feed the dogs. When she got to the front door, she could hear the dogs loudly barking. Once she opened the door, Mochi practically dragged her inside. She thought she was just playing with her, but when Bailey stood at the nursery's closed door, barking, she knew something was wrong. She opened the door to find Ian lying on the floor with the pill bottle right next to him, and that note in one of his hands, the other was holding a small a stuffed dolphin with 'Baby H' embroidered onto it, in the other. Then she called 911 while trying to help him. Nobody knows why he did it, we hope maybe he said in the note he left for you. She wanted to read it as soon as she found it, but it was directed only for you, so she didn't.

Lucy: I have to see him. I need to make sue he's ok, Momma. I can't just sit here and wait for someone to come in her and tell me he made it. I have to be there with him, please.

Julie: Do you think that's fair?

 _Fair? What's not fair about me being there for Ian?_

Lucy: What?

Julie: You think it's fair for you to be with Ian when you were the one who got your sister to keep him away from you when you thought you weren't gonna make it earlier? I'm your mother, but I also felt for him, Lucy. That boy was a mess without you. He didn't say a word to anyone of us while you were in a coma, he didn't think he was worthy of comforting. You should've seen the look on his face when I told him that you're awake, he cried. At first, he didn't believe me and told me to leave him to rot in agony alone, but when I assured him that it wasn't a joke, he wept.

 _I did this to him. He was dealing with a lot, and I didn't make it easier for him. I just added to his burdens. Ian chose to take his life because of me. He decided to end his life because he thought he wasn't enough for us. But Ian has to make it. He has to meet his son._

 _I look up at Momma who's looking down at me_.

Lucy: He hasn't met Noah yet, you know.

Julie: He hasn't?

 _I look down at my lap, nodding._

Lucy: I asked him to meet him, but he refused. He didn't wanna meet his son. He. Just. Walked. Out.

 _I all but hiss as I remember Ian saying that he can't meet Noah._

Julie: Baby...

Lucy: No, you're right. It's not fair of me to be there for him when I forbad him to be in the same room as me when I was lying in a hospital bed just like he is now, but the difference between us is that I risked my life for our son's, Ian just chose to take his own life so we wouldn't be in it. We thought we were both ready for a baby to expand our family, but maybe we were too blind to see we were even ready to start one.

Julie: Lucy, what are you talking about? Can you hear what you're saying? Are you giving up on your husband and baby? You can't just break up your family like that.

 _Momma looks mad, but honestly that's exactly what I think is best for us all_.

Lucy: Momma, please turn off the light. I'm so tired I'm gonna sleep.

 _I tell her as I untangle myself from her, and turn the other way to lie down on my side, with my back to her._

Julie: Lu...

 _She starts to say, but I cut her off._

 _I've had enough of the talking about my "family"._

Lucy: Momma, please. There's nothing to talk about anymore.

 _I hear her sigh as she turn off the light before exiting the room._

 _I guess this is it. This is the end to my fairytale. It's not happy, but it still is an ending._

* * *

 **A/N: sooo, I'm thinking the next chapter there would be a time jump? Idk. Not cleared out yet, but I'll let you know when I post it. Don't forget to review.**

 **kisses,**

 **Esraa.**


	10. Chapter9- Where Angels Go

**Four years later.**

 **Noah's POV:**

 _Hi, my name is Noah-Michael Harding. I'm four years-old. I love everyone and everything I have. I even love my cousin Lily, even though she's mean to me most of the time. Today is my birthday. I should be excited for my birthday party, and I am, but I'm also excited because I get to see my Momma. I live here in Nashville with Grandma Julie, Grandpa John, auntie Maggie, her husband; Lewis, and my cousins Lily and little Tommy. I get to see Momma on holidays and sometimes when we go on vacations together. I don't see my Daddy very much though. I think they love, but they're both too busy though. It's alright, I love them both even though I don't see the much. I also love Grandma Mary, Grandpa Stephen, and my other auntie Sarah, who are also coming to my birthday party. I'm so excited to have my whole family with me today. I'm so happy to see my Momma and My Daddy._

 _Right now I'm at Grandma's house, happily playing with my cousin, Tommy. He's so funny, and always makes me laugh. He keeps mumbling things that I don't understand and then laughs like he just said a joke, and that make me laugh too._

 _Lily is sitting at the other corner, playing with her dolls. I asked her to play with her, but she told me I can't because I'm a boy. She always tells me that I can't play with her, because I'm a boy. It makes me sad, but I do t tell anyone about it, because I don't want her to get into trouble. That's why I always either play with little Tommy, or with my dog; Jack_.

"Noah, baby, there's someone on the phone for you"

 _I hear Grandma calling for me. I turn around and I see her standing with her hand held out to give me the phone. That's strange, I almost never get someone talk to me on the phone. I only talk to Mommy or Daddy on the phone because I don't get to see them much, but today I'll see them at my party, so it can't be one of them._

 _I walk up to Grandma and take the phone from her._

"Hello?"

"Hey, buddy"

 _Oh that's my Daddy._

"Hi, Daddy"

"Happy birthday, Noah. Are you excited for your part today?"

 _Daddy asks me._

 _Of course I'm excited._

" 'course, Daddy. I'm so excited, I can't wait to see everybody at the party. I'll get to see you and Momma today, and I'll get to see Grandma and Grandpa Harding too, and Auntie Sarah"

 _I tell him, excitedly._

"Uh, listen, buddy. I'm so sorry but I can't make it today. Something came up at work, and I won't be able to come to your party, but I promise you that I will make it up to you, ok? I already talked to your Grandma Julie, and you're gonna fly to LA with your Auntie Sarah so you could spend the next weekend with me here, what do you say?"

 _B-but I thought everyone would be here for my birthday? Every holiday, Daddy promises me to come spend it with me, but then he breaks his promise. He always breaks his promises. Lily and little Tommy always have their Momma and Daddy with them all the time, and I don't. I don't know why they just don't take me to live with them, like Lily lives with her Mommy and Daddy. Lily once told me it's because Momma and Daddy don't even live together, so they can't take me with them. I don't know why they don't live together though. Right now I'm so sad that my Daddy isn't coming for my party, but at least, Momma is coming._

"Hey, buddy, where did you go?"

 _I hear Daddy ask me._

"It's ok, Daddy. I'm right here"

"Ok, I don't want you to worry about your gift though. Grandma Mary has my gift with her, she'll give it to you at the party later, ok?"

"Ok, thank you, Daddy. I love you"

 _I tell him._

"You're welcome, little man. You too"

 _That's just it. Daddy never tells me he loves me. I always say I love you Daddy, but he never says it back. Why doesn't he love me like uncle Lewis loves Little Tommy?_

 _What did I ever do to him?_

"Bye, Daddy"

"Bye, Noah. I'll see you later"

 _I give the phone back to Grandma._

"Are you ok, baby?"

 _Grandma asks._

 _I look up at her. Grandma Julie is the kindest person I've ever met. I love Grandma Mary too, but I love my grandma Julie more, only because I spend more time with her._

"I love you Grandma Julie.

 _I tell her as I hug her legs tightly because I love her sooo so much._

"Oh, I love you too, sweetheart"

 _Grandma says as she bends down to hug me. I always tell her everything, but I can't tell her that I'm sad, because I don't want her to be sad too. She looks happy, and I don't want her to be unhappy because of me._

 _She gets up after a minute and walks into the kitchen because she wants to make sure my birthday cake is extra yummy._

 _I return to play with little Tommy, but I find him sleeping so I leave him alone. Now I only have Jack to play with. He's my only buddy._

 _I love jack so much. He's funny too. He always likes to lick my face and shake my hand. He always stays with me whenever I'm feeling sad. So now, I'm gonna play with him for a while._

 _As I sit down on the floor with Jack on my lap, Lily comes to take him from me, she always does that._

"Were you talking to Uncle Ian on the phone?"

 _She asks me._

 _I only nod my head._

"Is he coming to the party later?"

 _She asks again._

"No. He said he has to work so he can't come, but I'm going to his house for the weekend with my auntie Sarah"

 _I let her know._

"My daddy has work too, but he never misses my birthdays because he loves me"

 _She says as she acts Jack on his little head._

"My daddy loves me too, I know he does"

 _I lie to her, because I don't really know if he does._

"Don't lie. I know he doesn't love you. If he did, then he would come to your birthday parties, but he never did before"

 _She says._

"You're a liar"

 _I tell her. Why is she always lying to me? She always tells me that Momma loves her more than me, and now she tells me that my daddy doesn't love me?_

"No, I'm not. Your Momma and Daddy don't love you like mine do. You did something very bad when you came out of auntie Lu's tummy, that's why they don't want you anymore and now you live with Grandma and Grandpa, not with your daddy and Momma, like me and Tommy do"

 _She tells me._

"What did I do?"

 _If I did something wrong, why didn't anyone ever tell me so I could say I'm sorry? Maybe then, they would love me more._

"When you came out of auntie Lu's tummy, you killed her"

 _I gasp at what Lily tells me. But Momma is still here, alive, not with the Angels._

"Yes. You made her heart stop beating, boom boom, the doctors said that she has to sleep for a bit, and she did, then she woke up. Her and uncle Ian were married, like Momma and Daddy, but then they weren't because they had a fight with each other about you, and then uncle Ian went to the hospital too, but I don't know why, and ever since then, nobody likes you so much"

 _Lily always tells me stories to make me sad. I don't want to be here with her anymore. I'll take Jack to play in my room until Momma arrives._

 _I call for Jack, and Lily immediately frown, good._

 _I walk up the stairs to my room which I helped grandma and grandpa Hale decorate. It's got a lot of clowns on the walls since I love them so much, plus, it's the only way to keep Lily out of my room because she gets so scared of them. I know clowns aren't real, they're just people dressed in silly clothes to make people laugh, but Lily thinks they're colored monsters who are trying to eat as many people as they can, silly girl._

 _Jack brings his ball toy and wiggles his tail to tell me that he wants to play, but I'm so tired and sleepy right now, so I go to my bed and lie down and Jack follows. I like cuddling with little Jack._

 **A while later.**

 _I wake up because I can hear auntie Maggie calling my name. Little Jack isn't lying next to me anymore._

 _I look up at her, and she's smiling at me. Auntie Maggie is always nice to me, unlike Lily._

Maggie: Hey, honey. Did you have a nice nap?

 _I nod my head. I slept well, and I had a good dream._

Maggie: Good. Now, guess who just got home for your birthday?

 _She asks me._

Noah: Is it Momma?

 _I excitedly ask her back._

 _She nods her head while answering._

Maggie: Yes, she is here. She downstairs with Grandma and Grandpa right now. Why don't we go say hi?

Noah: Of course.

 _I'm so happy at least Momma came for my birthday._

 _I jump off the bed, and run for the door, but auntie Maggie stops me._

Maggie: Don't you think you forgot something?

 _She asks me as she points at the bathroom._

 _Oh, right. I have to wash my face first, to wipe all the drooling._

Noah: Hehehe. Silly me. You go ahead, a tie Maggie. I'll just wash up and be right behind you.

Maggie: Ok. Don't be too long, sweetheart.

 _She says, walking out of the room._

 _After washing up, and using the restroom, I silently walk downstairs to surprise Momma as I usually do every time she comes to visit, but when I'm about to walk into the living room, I hear Grandma yelling at Momma._

"So let me get this straight. You forgot about your son's birthday? You're only here because you missed home? Lucy, that boy has been really excited to have you home, here with him on his birthday to celebrate, and now you're telling me that you're here by chance?"

 _Momma forgot about my birthday? Then why is she here? Did she miss me? Because I sure missed her. But how could she forget about my birthday? She's my Momma, she's supposed to remember everything._

"Mom, I'm sorry, ok? I've just been too busy with work, and just completely forgot about the birthday party today"

 _I hear Momma tell Grandma._

"This is not about the birthday party, Lucy. This is about you neglecting your son. He's here all the time, and believe me we all love having him here with us, but that boy needs his parents. He needs to feel like they're here for him when he needs them. YOU need to start acting like a mother to him, Lucy"

"I can't, mom. I can't take him. I don't think I'm easy for him to be with me. I feel better knowing he's taken care of right here with you. Don't worry, I'll run and grab a present for him really quickly"

 _I hear Momma tell Grandma. But I don't want a present, I want Momma to love me and want me._

 _Momma doesn't want me? Is she still mad that I killed her, like Lily told me earlier? But I didn't mean to do it, I don't even remember doing it. Momma hates me for it, and Daddy does too. That's why they don't want me to live with them. They're afraid that I might kill them again. Now what if I kill Grandma? Or Grandpa? I would never wanna do that to them, I love them both, and Auntie Maggie, uncle Lewis, and little Tommy. I love them all too much to hurt them. I can't stay with them any longer. I just can't. I have to go away. I have to somewhere they can't find me so I wouldn't hurt them._

 _Lily comes walking to me. I don't want her to tell anyone about what I'm going to do, so I won't tell her anything. I'll just walk away fast, before she talks to me._

 _I run up the stairs to get my special water bottle, my lunch box, and I get some clothes so I would get very cold at night. I also take Dolphy, my stuffed Dolphin that Daddy got for me when I was a little baby._

 _I wanna take Jack with me, but I don't wanna hurt him either._

 _I walk back downstairs to the kitchen to get some food. I'll be hungry, I know, I always am. I take a toast, an apple, some grapes, and a juice box. I put them all in my lunch box, and then put the lunch box in my backpack._

 _I can hear Grandma and Grandpa still yelling. Good, I don't want them to know I'm leaving, they'll be sad, but only for a little while, then they'll forget all about me._

 _I get out of the Jack's little door through the back door in the kitchen. I keep walking down the road. I know that road. I walk down that road every week with Grandma to the park. So maybe, I can go to the park. I can have a little picnic by myself, before I go away._

 _Once I see the park on the other side of the street. I remember Grandma always telling me to hold her hand when we cross the street, but she's not her with me, so I have to be extra careful. I step down of the side walk and start to walk to the other side. Suddenly I hear a car, loudly honking, but I don't mind, I'm almost at the park. It's right in front of me, but I feel something hit me, hard. I fall down on the ground, everything hurts. I can't keep my eyes open. It's like I wanna go to sleep again, but I just took a nap._

 _My eyes finally close. I can hear some shouting, but I'm too tired to talk to anyone._

 **Lucy's POV:**

 _I feel so bad for forgetting about Noah's birthday party. I mean, what kind of a mother am I to forget about the day I gave birth to my little angel?_

 _My parents have every right to tell me off for it. I have been neglecting Noah ever since he was two years old. Things got really complicated with Ian after he got out of the hospital. I filed for divorce, took Noah to my parents' house where I spent my time taking care of him, but then after, I flew back alone to LA to get back to work. Noah stayed behind with Momma. She kinda became his Momma, after all, she's the one taking care of him when I'm practically almost never around. Ian was true to his words, he kept his space from me and Noah "to keep us happy". Ian sees Noah whenever he's not too busy filming, and sometimes on holidays._

"Luce, you've always been my baby girl, and you always will be. I've always been by your side through everything, but this time, I'm completely disappointed in you. That boy looks up to you and Ian, and you're only there with him whenever you're not too busy to visit. This boy needs a steady family, not just his grandparents who look after him while his parents are too busy working"

 _My Daddy says._

"Do you have any idea what he asked me the other day? He asked me if he's an orphan, Lucy. He asked me why he's not living with his parents if they're both alive and well. You and Ian better start taking responsibility for that poor kid before it's too late for you to get back those precious young years"

 _I feel so ashamed of myself to be the cause of my own son's pain. I look up at Maggie who was supposed to call him down._

"Where is he anyway? Is he still up in his room?"

 _I ask her._

"He told me he was gonna wash up, and then come right behind me. I'll go..."

"No, let me. I've not seen in a long time. I'll surprise him this time"

 _I tell her, already making my way upstairs to Noah's room. I know on the slightly open door, but I get no response so I open the door all the way. Noah isn't here, and not in the bathroom either. I wonder where he could be. Maybe he's downstairs._

 _I walk back downstairs to the living room where Lily is playing with Jack and everyone is talking together._

"Lily? Where's Noah?"

 _I get the little girl's attention._

"Wasn't he in his room?"

 _Maggie asks._

 _Jack suddenly hops up and starts running to his door, barking. That's weird._

"He was standing right there a while ago, but then when I went to tell him to come say hi to you, he took off running up to his room. Then I saw him sneaking through Jack's little door with his backpack"

 _She shrugs._

 _He was standing here? That means he must've heard us talking._

"When was that, Lily?"

 _I ask her to figure out how long ago he went sneaking out of the house._

"A while ago"

 _Lily simply answers._

 _I look at Momma who's already looking at me, worried out of her mind._

"Let's go look for him, now. He shouldn't be too far, plus, it's still day-time"

 _Dad says, but I'm too shocked to do anything._

 _At this moment, Momma's phone starts ringing. She immediately picks it up_

 _I watch her facial expression change from worried to relieved, and almost instantly to horrified before she hangs up._

"Momma, what is it? Is it Noah? Did they find him? Is he ok?"

 _I bombard her with questions, but she's in some state of numbness, and shock._

 _I watch as she walks to the coat hanger by the front door, grabs her keys and coat, silently sobbing. She reaches for the door handle, but before she turns it, she turns around to look at us._

"My baby boy is in the hospital, he was hit by a car"

 _That is all she says before bursting the door open and running to her car._

 _Noah is in the hospital? A car hit him? H-He ran away because I'm too incapable of loving my son and letting him know that. He's lying in a hospital bed because of my insecurities. I was too afraid to lose my son, that I actually am about to lose him._

 _I didn't realize that I'm being led out to a car until I heard Maggie's car door slam and Lewis calling my name. I turn to look at him, and he's looking at me with sorrow. I don't need sorrow, I need to tell my son that I love him, I need to promise him that I'm gonna try to be a better mother figure to him. I need my son. I need my Noah._

"Lucy, you need to call Ian. He has to come for Noah"

 _I hear Lewis telling me at the same time Maggie says that she's calling Mary; Ian mother, to tell them to meet us at the hospital._

 _I search for Ian's number in my contacts, through my blurry vision._

"Lucy?"

"You need to fly to Nashville, Ian. Noah needs you"

 _I sob._

 _Ten minutes later we arrive at the hospital, I run out of the car, with Maggie and Lily right behind me. I run to the reception nurse to ask about Noah._

"A little boy just got here. He was hit by a car. His name is Noah-Michael Harding. He's four-years old"

 _I say it all in a rush that I wonder how she still understood a word I said._

 _She taps on the keyboard in front of her._

"He's still in surgery. You can all wait in the waiting hall over there"

 _I don't wanna wait. I wanna go see my son. I wanna make sure Noah is alright and safe. I want someone to tell me something, anything._

 _I walk toward Momma who's pacing back and forth._

"Anyone said anything?"

 _I ask her._

 _She looks at me in the eye, and then goes back to her pacing._

 _Momma never looked at me like this, she never looked at me with such disappointed and disgust. She's blaming me. She's blaming me for Noah's accident, just like I'm blaming myself. I did this to him._

"I'm sorry, Mom"

 _I tell her._

 _She stops pacing and turns to look at me._

"I know you're sorry, but I'm not the one you should apologize to. You should apologize to that little boy lying in there, who felt the need to run away because he thought that he was unloved and unwanted"

 _I know she's right. I know she has every right to be ashamed of me, but her words cut through like a knife through my heart._

 _I break down at my Momma's words._

 _Oh My God. I was supposed to protect my son and unconditionally love him forever, but I failed._

I see a doctor coming our way, and I immediately sprint at him.

"How is Noah? Is gonna be ok? C-can I see him, please"

"Are you his mother?"

 _The doctor asks, but I only nod at the stupid question._

"The patient is now resting in the ICU. Though the hit wasn't that hard, he did hit his head on the ground pretty hard. He has a bit of a swelling in his Occipital lobe. The occipital lobe is in the back part of the brain that is involved with vision. We won't be hundred percent sure if there are any complications until the swelling goes down and the patient wakes up"

"What kind of complications?"

 _I hear Sarah ASk. I didn't even realize Ian's family arrived at the hospital until now._

"One of the most common, is losing sight. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to check on other patients, but I'll be back to check on him later"

 _The doctor says before walking away._

"I-I wanna see Noah. I wanna see him right now. I need to tell him I'm sorry. I'm sorry, momma. I'm sorry for being a terrible mother to him. I'm sorry for being a disappointing daughter to you and dad. I couldn't even save my marriage. I'm so sorry for ruining everything in my life. I..."

 _I feel lightheaded, like I'm gonna faint, but I don't care. I wanna see my Noah._

 _I feel someone taking me in their arms. I look up and it's Mary._

"Take a deep breath, Lucy. Noah is gonna be ok. He's a fighter. He's gonna be up and running before you know it"

 _Oh how I wish I could really believe it. How I wish to have a second chance to be a better mother to my son._


	11. Chapter10- Keep It Together

**Ian's POV:**

I _feel so awful about missing Noah's party. But I just can't celebrate his birthday on his actual birthday. I mean, it's the day I almost lost my wife, and son. It was the day I really failed my family, so how can I celebrate this day every year? Yes, they are both safe and sound now, but do I really have them in my life?_

 _I know Noah is heartbroken over the fact that I won't make it to the party, but I really can't go there and pretend that today, four years ago, I was the happiest person on earth, because I honestly wasn't. But I promise I'll make it up to him, that's why I talked to Julie earlier, so I could have him here with me on the weekend._

 _Right now I'm the set of my new movie, working Godly long hours. I love the cast and crew, but we're not much of a family like the Pretty Little Liars cast and crew were. Those were the happiest days of our lives._

 _My thoughts get cut off by the ringing of my phone. My eyebrows knot in confusion as I find it's Lucy calling me. She's must be pretty pissed off, because I upset Noah._

 _I pick up immediately, ready to be told off._

"Lucy?"

"You need to fly to Nashville, Ian. Noah needs you"

 _She sobs._

 _Noah needs me? What is he in some kind of trouble? But if he is, why is Lucy crying? Is he ok? Did he get hurt?_

 _I don't even get the chance to ask questions as she quickly hangs up on me._

 _I quickly get off my seat and run to the director to tell him that I have an emergency, and I have to take a couple of days off. He wasn't happy about it, but when I told him that my son was the emergency, he totally understood._

 _I already got picked up today to the set by one of my cast members, he's a close friend, so I don't have to worry about my car being here for days. I call a cab to take me to the airport, I don't have to go home to get some clothed, I already have some at my parents' house. Luckily, there were two seats available on the plane to Nashville. I bought a ticket,maned waited impatiently for the plane to take off._

 _Three long hours later, the plane lands in Nashville, TN. It's almost sun set now. I get into a cab to the hospital, which takes me another thirty minutes._

 _After I pay the driver and thank him, I break into a sprint into the hospital. God, I always hated hospitals._

 _I walk to the front desk at the reception to ask the nurse about Noah's room. She informs me that he's still in the ICU, and family his is in the waiting room._

 _ICU? It was that bad that he had to go into the ICU?_

 _I walk to the waiting room where everyone is. I notice that everyone's here, except for Lewis, Maggie, and Lucy._

Sarah is the first one to notice me. She stands up to hug me for comfort.

 _Mom is sitting on the couch being comforted by day, while John is pacing the room. That's when I also notice that Julie is also not in here._

"What happened?"

 _I ask as tears start rolling down my face._

 _Mom looks up at me, and opens her arms for me, which I walk right into. I don't know if I'm comforting her, or she's comforting me._

"Sarah, what happened to Noah? Is he gonna be alright? Where's Lucy? Is she with him? Is he allowed visitors? Please, tell me"

"Apparently, he heard Julie yelling at Lucy for forgetting about the party, and how she should be more responsible for her son. He thought he was unloved, so he decided to run away. He was on his way to the near-by park when he was hit by a car"

 _She tells me._

"But is he gonna be ok? Can I go see him?"

"He's still in the ICU. The doctor said they'll be able to figure out if there's any damage to the brain once the swelling goes down. Until then, no visitors"

 _I hear my mom say._

"Swelling? He might have brain damage? Where's Lucy, if she's not with him? How is she dealing with this?"

"She's sleeping at the moment. She had a breakdown earlier, so the doctors had to give her something to calm down"

 _John tells me, speaking for the first time since I came into the room._

"I'm gonna go check on Lucy. I might go talk to the doctor too. I'll be back later"

 _I say to them as I make my way to the door, after Sarah tells me where Lucy's room is._

 _I walk to towards the room. I can see Julie through the glass of the door to Lucy's room. She's sitting next to Lucy's bed with her head resting on her right hand that's on the armrest of the chair she's sitting on._

 _I knock on the door before going in. Julie looks up at me, and gives me a hint of a smile._

"How is she?"

 _I can't help that my voice breaks as I ask her that question._

 _She looks at Lucy, brushes her hair out of her face, before she looks at me again_.

"She's scared. How are you doing?"

 _I sigh, loudly._

"Terrified. God, it's like I'm back four years ago again. Both Lucy and Noah re in the hospital, and I can't do anything about it"

 _I answer her as I sit on the chair on the other side of Lucy's bed._

 _Julie gets up and walks to me. I feel her hand on my shoulder_.

"I don't want you to go that dark place again, Ian. You and Lucy neglected your son, and now that happened. I don't want you to think of what's best for you both to do, I want you to think of the best for all three of you. Noah has always been a sensitive boy. He loves everyone, and he worships you both. He has a such kind heart that would literally melt others'. You know, Lily hasn't always been very nice to him, and I've been waiting for him to come to me to tell me, but he never once said a word about it, because he loves her no matter what. I knew he was heartbroken today, after he talked on the phone with you. I guess that's why he went to the park, because that's where he like to go whenever he feels down. He used to tell me everything, but lately he's been keeping to himself. That little boy needs to know that his parents are really there for him. He needs a real sense of family"

 _Before I can say a word, we hear a groan coming from the bed. We turn to find Lucy starting to wake up_.

 _At first, she looks confused by her surroundings, but then her eyes land on me and her mother._

"Are you ok, honey?"

 _Julie asks her, helping Lucy set up on the bed, propped on two pillows_.

"Not really. Did you hear anything else about Noah? Did the doctor say if there's any damage done to his brain? D...?

 _I look expectantly at Julie as well, waiting to know if there's anything else I don't know about_.

"We haven't heard anything else yet, baby. Don't worry, everything is gonna be ok soon, you'll see"

 _Julie assures her._

"But you don't know that. The doctor said he might lose his sight, Momma. If he ever does, I will never forgive myself for letting this happen to him. I..."

 _Lucy sobs._

"Lose his sight?"

 _I cut her off. Not wanting to believe that there's a chance that my son might never see again._

"He hit his head pretty hard, Ian. When the swelling in his brain goes down, the doctors would then be able to tell whether it affected his vision or not. Noah might not see again, and it's all because of me"

 _Lucy cries harder._

 _She can't blame herself for this, it's not her fault. It's mine. I kept my distance from Noah, far enough that he thought he's not wanted or cared for. I neglected my own son, and failed him once again_.

"It's not your fault, Lucy. I should be the one apologizing to you, for not being responsible enough to take care of you both"

"I'm gonna give you two a moment while I go see the doctor"

 _Julie says, walking out of the room._

 _As soon as the door clicks, I turn to look at Lucy in concern. I know she's trying to hide how she's really feeling, just like I'm doing._

"How are you really doing, Lucy?"

 _I ask, giving her a knowing look._

 _She sighs before answering._

"Scared, and ashamed"

 _She mumbles the last part to herself, but I still heard her._

"Of what?"

"Of my son hating me, and rejecting me once he wakes up, for blaming me for probably losing his sight"

"Lucy"

 _I sigh as I lean closer to her, to hold her hand in mine_.

"I get why you're scared, what I meant was why are you ashamed? You got noth..."

"Do you really not know why I'm ashamed of myself as a mother? My only job was to love and protect my son, and I FAILED. I had a difficult, yet one simple job, it was to let my son know how unique he is, and how much he is loved and cared for, but I couldn't even keep my son safe. He ran away from home, which wasn't with me by the way, he- he.."

 _She's cut off by a sob rocking her whole body._

 _I get off the chair and scoot over next to Lucy on the bed. I hold her in my arms, for the first time in a little over four years_.

"Shh. Noah is gonna be alright. He's a fighter. We both know that. He's gonna be up and running till he tires himself out. I only regret not being with him today. I was so selfish that I actually broke my son's heart and disappointing him once again. All his years, I only let him down, even since before he was born. I was planning on having his birthday party at my apartment in LA this weekend when he visited me. You know, I always celebrate his birthday on the day after he was born"

 _I confess._

"Why?"

 _She asks as she turns her head up to look up at me._

"It's better that way"

 _I answer vaguely, turning my head away from her_.

"Ian, it's the day our son was born, how come you never really celebrated it on the actual day? You never came to even one of his birthday parties over those past four years"

 _I cover my mouth with my right hand, as a sob manages to escape me._

 _I twist my body away from Lucy as I try to pull myself together so I'd be able to be strong for Lucy and our son_.

"Ian?"

 _I feel Lucy putting her hand on my back, comforting me. I can hear the concern in her voice_.

"Did- Did you ever get the letter?"

 _We never really talked about what I did when I tried to take my life. It's actually one of those 'don't ask' situations_.

"Yes"

 _She mumbles, taking her hand off my back_.

"Did you, um, read it?"

 _I ask, still not turning to look at her_.

"Ahmmm"

"I always promised myself to be a better person for my kids to look up to me. I wanted my sons to look at me, and say 'That's how I should treat women'. I wanted my daughters to know that they should be treated the way I'm treating you, and to wish for husband like their own father. I always thought the day I had my first child, I was gonna be over the moon, like I'm gonna do the very damn best I can to make my kids proud of me, but the second I saw Noah in the doctor's arms taking him to a nearby table, because he wasn't breathing on his own, all my dreams crushed down. I admiring his beautiful features, that he definitely got from you, for only a couple of seconds, and then I noticed how blue his tiny face is, then I realized that the doctor had said that the baby wasn't breathing. I was thinking that you must be freaking out, so I had to assure you that everything was going to be alright, I turned around, and that's when I realized that, amidst all that, I didn't even hear your mother crying out for you to wake up and open your eyes. You looked so, so pale, Lucy. Your beautiful pink lips, became blue in just a few seconds. Then I had to leave you both with doctors to try and save you. When I walked out of the room with your mother, Oh My God, you should've seen how the look on our family's faces turned from anticipation to fear in just a matter of seconds. I lost both my wife and my son in a matter of seconds, and I'm still living in them, every single day. I don't need a day every year to remind me of them, because I never even forgot. I can never celebrate a day when I lost everything, Lucy, I just can't"

 _With that being said, my whole body is shaking with sobs._

 _I feel Lucy hugging me from behind, trying to soothe me, as she's crying herself_.

"Shh. Ian. I'm sorry. It's ok. It'll all be ok. I don't blame you for anything, you know? I'm the one to blame for where we are right now. All these years back, if I'd just let you deal with the Mindy situation on your own and not let my jealousy and hormones get in the way, we never would've been here right now"

"I'm to blame too, Lucy. I chose to keep a friend's secret over choosing my family. I should've told her that you're trusted with this secret, I know that, but I also didn't want you to stress about it. I'm sorry for that"

 _Lucy pulls back, and turns my face so I would look her in the eye_.

"You need to forgive yourself for this, Ian. I know I did. You just made a mistake, and my hormones got things out of proportion"

"Are you really sure you forgave me?"

 _I highly doubt she would forgive me for breaking up our family, before even having_ _it_.

 **Lucy's POV:**

"Are you really sure you forgave me?"

 _Why does he seem so doubtful?_

"Why do you always think we hate you? Or that we think any less of you?"

"Don't you? I mean, you do hate me, or at least, you did"

 _He scoffs, getting off the bed_.

"Ian"

 _I call for him, but he doesn't even around to acknowledge me, but I still know he's barely holding himself together._

 _I get off the bed as well and walk around him, standing right in front of him. The sight of his silent tears nearly breaks my heart_.

"I have never, ever, not even once, thought about hating you, you hear me? I could never"

"You chose to die over living one more day seeing me, Lucy. You even told Maggie that you didn't want me in the same room with you, whether you made it or not, not unless I wanted to see the baby. You pushed my out of you life, dead and alive. You didn't think I deserved the chance to know that there was a possibility that I could lose my wife who I loved more than anything in the world, even more than myself. I felt, and still feel, worthless when it comes to our family. I mean, what good have I been to you or our son? I mean, just look at where we are right now, Lucy. Tell me it's not my fault that we're here in the hospital, not at home, celebrating our son's fourth birthday"

 _He explains._

"It is not your fault, Ian, and I mean it. You need to let go of the past, and stop living in it. We both made mistakes, I'll tell you that, but we were just looking out for each other, or so we thought. We need to be strong for our little boy. Noah needs up, both of us. He has been through so much in his short four years, and we both need to make it up for him"

 _I tell him, pulling him into a bone-crushing hug, that we've both been in need of, all day long._

 _He hugs me back, as his sobs grow louder, murmuring 'I'm sorry' to each other._

 _We're both at fault here, there's no denying that. Now, we have to work things out for the sake of our son, for our Noah._

 _We're interrupted by the door opening, and my Momma's head popping in._

"He's awake now"


	12. Chapter11- Hope

**Lucy's POV:**

"He's awake now"

 _As soon as those words escape Momma's mouth, both me and Ian bombard her with questions._

"Did you see him, Momma? Is he ok?"

 _I frantically throw questions at her._

"Did he see you?"

 _I hear Ian asking her, of course that's the most pressing question right now._

"The doctors are in with him right now, they just told me that he's awake and then got back inside to inspect more"

 _She tearfully replies._

 _I flung myself in her arms like a scared little girl._

"I'm scared, Momma. What if he can't see anymore? And then hares me for it? He has every right to hate me, Momma, I was never there for him. He..."

 _I'm cut off by Ian putting his hand on my shoulder._

"Our son will be ok, Lucy. I trust him enough to fight whatever battle he's in, besides, we are both here for him now, and we're never gonna leave his side ever again"

 _Ian assures me._

"Ian is right, baby girl. Noah is gonna be just fine. I just know it, you'll see"

 _Momma promises, hugging me tightly._

"I have to see him for myself, I have to make sure he's ok"

 _I tell them._

"Me too, I need to make sure he knows we're here for him, for as long as he needs"

 _Ian adds in._

 _We both make our way to the ICU. As we get there, the doctor from earlier is just stepping out._

"Doctor? How is Noah? Is there further damage?"

 _I frantically ask him._

"He's one lucky kid. He just has a few bruises and scratches, but other than that, he's completely fine. The swilling in his brain is almost non-existent, and there are no further complications for now. I'd like to keep him here in the hospital for a few days, just to make sure everything is hundred percent alright"

 _The doctor thankfully assures us._

"So, now there's no fear of him losing his sight? He's gonna be ok?"

 _Ian asks, as he grabs my hand in his, squeezing it as he waits for the doctor's final, and more affirmative answer._

"You can all now stop worrying about that little fighter. He's gonna be good as new once he leaves the hospital in a few days"

 _The doctor promises us, again._

 _Oh My God! He's gonna be ok. He's gonna come home with us, in a good health. Thankfully, just a few scratches. Thank God._

"C-can we see him now?"

 _I really need to see him for myself to believe._

"Only for a short while, we don't wanna overwhelm him. He's been asking for his Grandma H, anyway. I'll be back soon to check up on him later, excuse me"

 _The doctor tells us before walking away._

"I'm gonna go see him alone for a second before I go to the waiting room to give everybody the great news, ok?"

 _Momma asks._

"Sure, Momma. But please tell him I can't wait to see him. And I love him"

 _I say, suddenly anxious for his reaction when he sees me._

"I will, baby"

 _She promises, before pushing the door to the ICU open._

 **Julie's POV:**

 _I make my way to the bed where my little Noah is lying helplessly._

 _He looks so peaceful in his sleep._

 _Once I stand by the bed side,I reach out my shaking hand to grasp his pale one._

 _He stirs lightly, and then his beautiful hazel eyes flutter open. Once they land on me, he begins to whimper._

 _I know he's just scared to be here in a hospital bed, with all these machines and tubes around him, so I try to soothe him._

"Oh, Noah. It's ok, baby. It's all gonna be alright. You got us all really worried, baby boy"

"I'm sorry, Grandma"

 _He cries harder, so I bend down further to hug him tighter, mindful of his fragile state._

"It's ok, honey, but why did you leave us? Why didn't you tell me you wanted to go to the park?I would've taken you there"

"I didn't want to go to the park, Grandma. I just wanted to have a little fun before I go away"

 _He mumbles_.

"What? You were going away? But why? Do you not love me anymore?"

 _I ask him, trying to figure out why he would do such a thing, although I might have an idea why._

"No, I love you so much, Grandma. You're my best person in this whole wide world. I just don't want to hurt you"

"What? Who told you you're gonna hurt me, Noah? I love you, and I know you would never do anything to hurt anybody, especially, someone you love"

 _He buries his head further into my chest, but I pull away right away. I know he's trying to avoid answering the question._

"Noah? Did someone tell you to go away?"

 _I know it's a long shot, but I just have to know._

"No"

 _He mumbles._

"So, what happened? Why did you leave everybody behind? Without saying anything. Why didn't you come talk to me? Don't we always tell each other everything? You had everyone scared out of their mind, especially, your Momma and you dad, they're outside anxiously waiting to see you"

 _I tell him, and I immediately fell his little body tense in my arms._

"M-momma a-and D-daddy are h-here?"

 _Why is he stuttering? He looks almost as if he's afraid of his parents._

"Well, of course they are. They're both very worried about you, is"

"B-but they don't love me?"

 _He asks, pulling away from my chest to properly look up at me._

"What? What makes you think the way, Noah? Your parents would never not love you. Did they ever tell you that?"

 _Does he really think his parents don't love him? Is this why he ran away this morning?_

 _Before he could answer, we're cut off by a knock on the door._

"Come in"

 _I call out to whoever knocked._

 **Ian's POV:**

 _Julie's been in Noah's room for so long, I wonder what that they're talking about. She said she'd only be in there for a minute, what's taking her so long?_

 _I can see Lucy anxiously pacing in the small hallway outside the room where we're both standing, just outside Noah's room. We're waiting to be given the chance to see our little boy, and make sure he's ok._

 _Lucy huffs in frustration and storms to the door and begins be told, I can't wait any longer either._

 _We hear a faint 'come in' and Lucy opens the door to step into the room._

 _As soon as she steps inside and sees Noah, she gasps in relief._

"N-Noah!"

 _Lucy calls._

 _His reaction upon seeing us, nearly had my heart split in half._

"Grandma, I don't want them here"

 _Noah all but whimpers._

"Honey, your Momma is really worried about you, and your dad is too. I know you missed them a bunch, so why don't you want them here?"

 _Julie soothes him._

 _It's official. My sone, our son hates us. It's our fault that we've neglected him all those years, and now he think we don't love him._

 _I hear Lucy quietly sobbing in front of me, looking at Noah. I step closer to her, and wrap my arm around her shoulder to try and comfort her because I know that it's as hard for her as it's for me, maybe even harder._

"I'm so sorry, Noah. I'm sorry that I disappointed you, and I'm sorry that I never told you that I loved you enough. I'm so incredibly sorry that you don't feel love or cared for, but you are. I want you to be sure you are so very loved. You are so precious to me, Noah. You are my light through the darkness, and you are all I have in this world. I'm sorry that I've been neglecting you, it's not because I don't love you, because I do, very much, but it's because I was scared that I wouldn't be good enough mommy to you. I thought I might hurt you, so I chose to stay away so I don't. I made a big mistake, Noah, but please, don't hate me"

 _Lucy whimpers to our son._

"Yo-You love me?"

 _Noah actually looks surprised by this statement. He looks as if he's just been told that Santa is coming to spend the day with him._

"Of course, I do. Me and your father both do"

 _Lucy tells him before looking up at me, giving me the hint to step in, and speak up for the first time since we've stepped in the room._

 _I clear my throat, and step closer to the bed where Noah is lying, and then begin to speak._

"Noah, you're our baby boy. Our only son. Of course, we love you so very much that your little head can't even understand. You're God's gift to us, and so far, we've taken you for granted, but not anymore. We love you so much and we aren't gonna waste another minute away from you, ever"

 _I promise him._

"I'm gonna go assure everybody, and tell them the good news. I'm pretty sure they're getting more worried by the second"

 _Julie announces, probably trying to give us some time alone as a family._

"Grandma?"

 _Noah whimpers at Julie's departure._

"I'll be back before you know it, baby boy. Don't you worry, ok? Everything is gonna be fine"

 _Julie promises._

"Ok"

 _I hear Noah mumbling before her releases his tight grip on her._

 _As soon as Julie is out of the room, Lucy steps closer to the bed._

"C-can I hold you?"

 _She nervously asks our son who's avoiding eye contact with both of us._

"I don't know"

 _He mumbles._

"Do you hate us?"

 _I ask him the one question that I know both me and Lucy are too afraid to ask._

"No. I don't hate you, it's you who don't love me. You both hate me"

 _He whimpers._

"Is that why you ran away? Because you thought we hate you?"

 _Lucy asks him, tears already escaping her eyes._

"I didn't think. I know"

 _Noah whimpers, even louder than before._

"You hate me because I hurt Momma when I was a baby, and you're scared that I might do it again. That's why you don't wanna spend much time with me. You're afraid of me, but I don't remember what I did. I promise I didn't mean to be a bad baby, I swear. That's why I ran away, because I love Grandma and Grandpa too much to hurt them, I was scared I might do it, so I went away so I wouldn't"

 _Oh My God. The problem is even bigger than we thought._

 _Noah actually blames himself for what happened to Lucy the day he was born, but how the hell did he even know about that?_

 **Lucy's POV:**

 _Did I just heat Noah say what he just said? How did he know about what happened that day, and how cone he's blaming himself for it. I mean, Momma would never let get to this. She would never tell Noah such a thing, and let him beat himself up for it and take the blame._

"Who told you this, Noah?"

 _I ask him._

 _Quiet._

"Noah, I need to know who made you think you hurt me, because you didn't. You're just too kind to do anything to hurt anyone, ok? You can not hurt anyone, do you hear me? I don't want you to think this way, not even for one second"

 _I can't help but raise my voice slightly as I sternly tell him that._

"Then why don't I live with you? Like Lily and little Tommy do with their Momma and Daddy! They always have each other, while I have no body. I always feel lonely, even though I have little Jack, but it' snot the same. The other kids always have their parents at their birthday party, but today, you forgot all about it, and Daddy had work that's more important than me. I DON'T MATTER"

 _Noah snaps at both of us._

 _I gasp at his words. How did we ever reach the point where our child thinks he doesn't matter? How could he possibly think that anything in this entire world could come before him? That's just absurd._

"Of course, you do matter. You're the only one who matters to us, buddy. We're very sorry you think that we don't love you, I promise you, it's not the truth. We both love you so very much, Noah, that we are badly hurting over the fact you hate us"

 _Ian takes the words out my mouth._

 _I look at Ian who's trying his hardest to hold back the sobs threatening to escape his mouth, and then look back at Noah. He's wiping his own tears with his little hands. I wish I could just hold him, wipe his tears, and tell him that I love him and just show him how much, but I know can't do it unless he wants me to. I don't wanna push things too far with him, only to make them worse._

"I don't hate you"

 _I hear him mumble._

"Even though you don't tell me that you love, even though you never cared about me as much as I wanted you to, and even though you were never happy to be my Momma, or daddy, I don't hate you"

 _Actually his words cut through me like knives strapped into my heart. I can't believe I screwed up this much, and apparently, I'm not the only one because no matter how much Ian is trying to hold back his tears, he's clearly now failing to hide his sobs._

 _Before I get the chance to say anything, I get cut off by a very much hurt Ian._

"You are not only a son to us Noah, you are our blessing in this world. You are more than just a little boy. You are our little hero who helps us get through life every single day. What happened to your mother the day you were born was not your fault. I repeat, it was not your fault. If you wanna be mad at someone, or yell at someone, you have me. I'm the one who let you down. I'm the one you should be ashamed of, and disappointed with. Your mother loves you very much, son, and so am I, but it was also my fault that day, when your mother was ill..."

 _Ian raises his voice._

 _I have to cut him off, I know he's gonna take all the blame, and I can't let him do that._

"Ian..."

 _I start to speak, but he cuts me_ _off._

"No, Lucy, he has to know the truth. I can't let our son think he was the reason for what happened that day, I can't let him get accused again"

 _What on earth is he on about?_

"When your mommy got here in the hospital, Noah, she'd been told by the doctor that she might die if she has the baby, but I didn't know that, because she was too mad at me to tell me about it..."

"Why?"

 _Noah is actually listening carefully to Ian is telling him._

"Because I'd made a stupid mistake that I will regret for the rest of my life. She knew what would happen, but she chose to give birth to you because she just loves you so much that she couldn't imagine a life without you"

 _Tears are running down my cheeks as I hear Ian talking about what happened._

"I was so happy to finally see the baby we both had been talking to, and saying 'I love you' to who's been in her tummy for months, but when you came out of your Mommy's tummy, you weren't breathing and the doctors had to help you first before helping her"

"But why? Why didn't they help Momma first? Didn't you say they knew she was sick?"

 _Noah gasps._

"Because I'd told them that if anything happens to us, they should help you first because you matter more than me"

 _I finally speak._

"You shouldn't have done that. They should've helped you too. They're not very smart, these doctors"

 _He says, slowly shaking his head._

"They **are** smart; look at you now, breathing and healthy. They saved both of us"

 _I softly tell him._

"But then Daddy was sick too, I don't know what happened, but he had to go to the hospital too. Why were you sick?"

 _He innocently asks, looking at Ian._

"We don't have to talk ab..."

"No. Noah has the right to know everything. Secrets always ruin things, I should know. I don't wanna keep something from either of you, you deserve the truth"

 _He cuts me off before looking at Noah to explain._

 **Ezra's POV:**

 _I have to get it all off my chest. They both deserve to know everything. Noah needs to know that it was not his fault, it was mine._

"When I was told you and your Mommy are finally safe, healthy, and both ready to go home in a few days, I started to think. I realized that it was my own fault that you were both in danger. I'd done that to you, so I decided to make myself really really sick, just like I made both of you. I thought that if you were away from me, I wouldn't hurt you anymore because I'd promised to protect you and your Mommy, but I couldn't keep that promise .So I went home, and did just that. Hours later, your auntie; Sarah found me sleeping and really sick, that's why she brought me to the hospital, but you know what saved my life? It was your Dolphy. He saved my life, as I'm sure he saved your too"

 _I explain to him as well as Lucy._

"Where is Dolphy? I hope he's not lost"

 _He immediately gasps at the mention of his stuffed animal._

"I'll go ask for him if you want"

 _I offer._

"No, stay. This is the first time I have you both in the same room as me. I don't want you to leave"

 _He slightly whimpers._

"We would never leave you as long as you want us to stay"

 _Lucy beats me to it._

"C-can I get hug now?"

 _He nervously asks._

 _I wanna run up to him to hug him and never let go, but I think Lucy needs to, more than me._

 _She walks up to where he's lying and starts to open her arms for a hug, but Noah immediately shakes his head vigorously._

"No, I want us all to have a really big hug, like we are a family"

 _He explains._

 _I walk up to them and envelop them both in my arms. I can hear Noah sighing contently in the middle._

"I love you"

 _He says quietly._

"I love you too, Buddy"

 _I tell him honestly, kissing his little head, while looking into Lucy's eyes._

 _This is what I used to tell her since we started dating, and it's also what I used to say when I spoke to Noah before he was born._

"We love you too, Noah. And by the way, we are a family"

 _I don't know what Lucy meant by saying that, but somehow, it makes me finally see th eight at the end of the tunnel. It makes me realize that there is hope. Lucy and Noah, who are the most important people in my life, are my hope._


	13. Chapter12- New Beginnings

**Lucy's POV:**

 _It's been a week since Noah got out of the hospital. The doctors made sure he was more than well enough to go home. That's why we're currently staying at my parents' house._

 _Ian and his family are staying at a nearby hotel. We offered for them to stay with us, but they felt it would best if they stayed at a hotel during their stay visiting Noah._

 _I've been glued to Noah's side this past week. I never once left him on his own, except for when one of us needed to use the bathroom. I font think I'd willingly do the mistake of leaving him again._

 _Ian visits everyday, making sure we have everything we need. He only goes to the hotel to sleep, then comes over first thing in the morning and leaves soon after Noah's tucked in bed. I guess he's as nervous about leaving Noah's side as I am, but he just won't stay with us._

 _I've been thinking about going back to LA for days, but I need to talk to Ian first so we could figure out what we're going to do about him seeing Noah._

 _Before all this happened, Maggie used to live in LA, not here in Nashville near my parents. I'm used to living on my own in LA, but now with Noah living with me soon, I don't know if I'm capable of raising him properly on my own. I know Ian will always be there for the both of us, but it's not the same as having someone there with you, if you know what I mean._

 _My thoughts are cut off by someone calling for me. I turn to find Noah standing at the door frame, uncertain of whether to ask something_.

"What's wrong, baby? Do you need something?"

I ask him in concern.

 _He shakes his little head then sighs loudly as he makes his way towards me._

 _He's fiddling with his hands, it's his nervous habit,just like mine and Ian's._

"Come here"

 _I beckon him to come sit on my lap so I could get him to stop being nervous and just tell me whatever is on his mind._

 _He climbs onto my lap and cuddles into me, playing with my locket which opens in half. Inside, there are two photos; on the right, there's our wedding photo, Ian and I are looking lovingly into each other's eyes, and the other photo is one of me holding Noah and looking at him the same way I'm looking at Ian in the other photo on the other side of the locket._

 _No matter what, Ian and Noah will always be my the most important boys in my life_.

"What's on your mind, Noah?"

"Are you gonna go back to your house in LA and leave me here again?

 _He asks quietly, almost whispering, as if scared of the answer I might give him._

"What do you think of me going back to LA?"

"It's ok. I know now that you love me anyway, so I don't mind"

 _He is lying through his teeth right now because I'm hundred percent sure it's not ok with him._

"And how would you feel if I told you that you're coming with me?"

 _His head shoots up lie a rocket, looking up into my eyes with such joy I've never seen in his eyes before._

"Really? I can come for a visit to your house in LA with you?"

 _He gleefully asks me._

"Oh, You're not coming for a visit, baby..."

 _I start to say, but he cuts me off._

"Oh"

 _I can detect the disappointment in his voice before I end my sentence._

"You're coming with me to my house to stay, for good"

 _I add._

"For real? Like, like I'm not gonna spend the weekend with you, and then come back here to stay with Grandma Hale? Like..."

 _Is he really that shocked that he's gonna be living with me?_

"Like you're the one coming to live with me, and Grandma Hale is the one to come visit us whenever she pleases"

 _I assure him._

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you. I love you, Momma"

 _He squeals._

"You're welcome, honey, and I love you so much more, my sweet baby boy"

 _I tell him, hugging him tighter into my embrace._

"But what about Daddy though? Does he know about this? Will he be sad that he won't get to see me that much?"

 _He ask, concerned about Ian's reaction to this._

"I haven't talked to him about this yet, but I'm sure he won't mind because he's gonna see you whenever he likes. He already lives near me, so it won't be difficult for us to see each other even everyday maybe"

 _I tell him._

 _He sighs contently._

 _It's quiet for a few minutes, until Noah speaks up._

"I'm really happy right now, Momma"

 _He exclaims._

"And I'm really happy you are, baby. I don't ever want you to be unhappy because of someone or something. If someone is giving you a hard time, you just come to me, and I'll handle them, ok?"

"Ok"

 _He mumbles._

"So, let me ask you, is some being a meanie to you?"

 _I know he would never come to me saying Lily is giving him a hard time, but if I ask, he won't lie, so I have to._

"Not right now, no"

 _That boy is smart, I'll give him that._

"Ok, but was someone earlier?"

 _He sighs before speaking._

"I don't want her to get in trouble"

"Why didn't you tell someone that Lily was a meanie to you? It's not nice to make people feel bad, especially, for something they didn't do"

 _I ask._

"How did you know it was Lily? I never told anybody about it"

 _He gasps._

"Grandma Hale always knew about it, she just wishes you would've told her before you decided to go away"

 _I let him know._

"Is she mad at me for not telling her?"

 _He asks._

 _Before I got the chance to answer, I'm cut off by Momma's voice._

"I could never be mad at my Noah. He's my every thing. He's my sweet sweet boy"

"Grandma!"

 _Noah squeals before jumping off my lap, running into my Momma's awaiting arms._

"I came up to let you both know that breakfast is ready"

 _Momma says, standing up straight, holding Noah onto her hip._

"Ok, Momma, I'll just freshen up then I'll be right behind you"

 _I tell her, making my way into the bathroom._

"Well, don't take too long, Ian is already at the the table, talking with your father"

She says, winking at me before turning on her heels taking Noah, who's asking her why _she didn't say Ian was here earlier, downstairs with her._

 _What's that supposed to mean? Is she implying that I'm looking forward to seeing Ian? Well, am I?_

 _'Of course, you are, Lucy' My heart says. 'You freaking still love him'_

 _Well, I do still love him. I mean, he is the only guy who ever treated, and still treats me right, but what good does it do, me loving him? He probably doesn't feel the same way about me anymore. I know he's not seeing anyone right now, but still._

 _I look in the mirror, I look like I haven't slept in years, well, I haven't. I mean, I never really got a good night sleep ever since I had to leave Noah here in Nashville with Momma and go back to LA. I guess the guilt and worrisome were eating away at me, but now I'm gonna put all of me into being the best Mom I could be to my baby boy._

 **An hour later.**

 _We just finished having breakfast which consisted of having small conversations. I think now is the best time to talk to Ian about Noah moving to LA with me. That's why I offered we'd do the dishes together, Momma knows we need to talk, that's why she agreed to give us some time alone, and now, here we are._

"So"

 _I start._

"What's up?"

 _Ian says._

"I've been thinking, um, well, I've been thinking about taking Noah to live with me in LA"

"Oh"

 _Is all he said._

 _Is ok with this? Is he not? What does this 'oh' even mean?_

"What do you think, Ian? Oh doesn't exactly give me much"

 _I_ _ask him._

"Well, I was kinda expecting you to decide to do this sooner, so I'm not really surprised. So, what's my schedule?"

 _He says._

 _Wow that's so much easier than I expected it to go._

"There's isn't one. You can see Noah whenever you'd like, Ian, he's your son, too"

 _I tell him._

"Ok"

 _He nods._

"I honestly thought you'd say more than ok"

 _I confess._

"What do you mean?"

 _He asks._

 **Ian's POV:**

"I honestly thought you'd say more than ok"

 _She says._

"What do you mean?"

I ask

"I just thought you'd argue with me on this, maybe, ask to have him live with yo instead of meu. I don't know"

 _She_ explains.

"I have no problem with Noah living with you, Luce. I'm not exactly the best person to make these kind of decisions, and I know you'll take a really good care of him, better than I ever could. Besides, I don't wanna pressure Noah into choosing a side, not that there are sides, but I think it's a good thing that we have a good relationship, otherwise, it would've been so confusing for him"

 _I tell her, honestly._

"So you're hundred percent sure you're ok with this?"

 _She asks._

"Yes, Goose. I'm sure. Now, come on, you can do better than this, doing the dishes, _loser_ "

 _I say, trying to get her to laugh._

 _She gasps at me._

"I am not a loser, Harding"

 _She says, with a mischievous glint in her eyes._

 _I know what's coming next, so I hold up a tray, trying to shield myself from the spray of water Lucy just directed at me, and successfully, I managed to make her unintentionally spray herself as a result, and she squeals like crazy._

 _Noah comes running into the kitchen to see Lucy trying to spray me again, but miserably failing._

 _He gasps at us._

"What are you two doing? Grandma is gonna be so mad at you two, you're gonna be in so much trouble"

 _He says, shaking his head at our behavior._

 _Lucy and I share a knowing look before we dash towards him, trying to get him 'in trouble' with us._

 _As soon as I scoop him in my arms, he squeals loudly calling for Julie, asking for help._

"What on earth is going on in here?"

 _I hear Julie's voice asking, and almost immediately, Lucy and I freeze in guilt, but Noah on the other hand, is still squirming to be let go._

"Um..."

 _Lucy starts to say, but Julie cuts her off._

"Before you say anything, Ian, please let me baby boy down"

 _She tells me in a demanding, Yet kind voice._

 _As soon as I let him go, he runs to her, explaining what happened, and how we tried to get him in trouble._

 _I hang my head down in shame, trying so hard to hold back laughter at Lucy who's trying to apologize to her mother like a little girl getting caught doing some horrendous act._

"He started it"

 _I look up at Lucy to find her pointing her finger at me._

"I didn't do anything"

 _I try to get away with it._

"And how exactly did he 'start' it?"

 _Julie asks her, raising her eyebrow at her, as if she's not buying it._

"He called me a loser"

 _Lucy whines._

"Prove it"

 _I say quietly, quiet enough for only Lucy to hear me, which only makes her angrier._

 _She turns to glare at me, ready to talk back at my snarky comment, but Julie's voice cuts her off._

"He called you a name so you decide to turn my kitchen into a war zone?"

 _Julie asks._

"I'm sorry, Momma"

 _Lucy sighs, defeated._

"I told you you're gonna be in trouble"

 _Noah comments, silently laughing at us._

"What do you think their punishment should be, Noah?"

 _I hear Julie asking him._

 _He taps his index finger on his chin, as if trying to think of the most 'cruel' punishment for us._

"They should..."

 _He says before he whispers our punishment into Julie's ear._

 _She giggles then looks up at us, obviously happy with Noah's decision._

"You two should..."

 **Half an hour later.**

 **Lucy's POV:**

"I can't believe our own son is making us do this"

 _I mutter loudly._

"Why? You don't like scrubbing toilet seats?"

 _Ian sarcastically, yet playfully asks._

"You did this, Ian. You're the one who got us into this mess"

 _I accuse him._

"Me? I only stated one fact about you being a loser, turns out you're a sore one. That's why you went crazy on me, hence the situation we're in right now"

 _He shrugs._

"I hate you, Harding"

 _I tell him._

"No, you don't, you love me"

 _He teases me._

"No, I don't"

 _I stubbornly say._

"Yes, you do. I know you"

 _He comments._

 _I sigh before replying._

"I do love you"

 _Whoa! What did you just do, you idiot? Now you made him uncomfortable, he'll, you just made yourself feel uncomfortable. Idiot!_

 **Ian's POV:**

"I do love you"

 _Did she just say what I think she just said? Did she really mean it? Or was it just a slip of the tongue?_

"Y-you do?"

 _I ask, making sure I'm not getting ahead of myself._

 _She turns away from me, but I know she's crying because her shoulders are shaking._

"Lucy? What's wrong? Talk to me"

 _I ask her._

 _I turn her around to face me, pulling her face up to look into my eyes. I can see so many emotions in them._

"Do you really mean it? Or would you like to just forget that just happened?"

 _I ask her, hoping she'd tell me that she means what she just said._

"I'm scared to mean it, Ian"

 _I hear her mumbling._

"Why?"

"Because I'm afraid of what might happen after. Because what if you don't feel the same way? I can't get hurt again"

 _She says, trying to look away from me again, but I don't let her._

"I would never not feel the same about you, Lucy. If anything, I've been scared you might not want me in your life ever again"

 _I confess my love for her._

 _She looks into my eyes with tears streaming down her cheeks. I wipe them and look at her in awe of her beauty._

"I love you, too, Goose"

 _I say before I crash my lips on hers in confirmation of my feelings for her, promising to never let her get hurt again._

 _We quickly pull away as we hear a gasp behind us._

"Oh My God, Grandma you were right"

 _We turn to find Noah with a giddy grin on his face._

 _Oh man! We're busted._


	14. Chapter13- Late Wishes

**A/N: I'm so sorry for the delay on the update, but honestly, I've been having a really bad writer's block, like no ideas** **at all** **, but I finally got to write something. I hope you like it.**  
 **Please, enjoy.**

* * *

 **Ian's POV:**

"You know I'm always right, Noah, what am I right about now?"  
 _We hear Julie say before coming into the bathroom where Lucy and I are standing awkwardly, silently praying that Noah would keep what he just witnessed to himself._

"Noah, why don't we go pack your bags, so we don't end up running late, and forget important stuff?"  
 _Lucy asks him, as a way of distraction for both him,_ ** _and_** _her mom._

 _Apparently, it works with him, but not with Julie. That's why I end up in the bathroom trying to avoid eye contact with her._

 _"_ I think I have an idea of what had happened before I came in here"  
 _Julie starts._

"Ju..."  
 _I try to cut her off, but she won't let me._

"What concerns me is that you got caught by Noah, not someone else. You got caught by your son who would only get his hopes up for something rushed and not thought through. I'm not saying you two shouldn't get together, because I **know** you two are just meant for each other, but please, don't rush into things, and then decide it's best to part ways, that's when you'll forever lose yourselves, and your son too"  
 _She explains._

"I admit we did rush into things, but at least, it just gave us the shimmer of hope we've both been waiting to see. It shows that we're both willing to work this out. I know it's not as simple as just ripping off a bandaid, I know it's gonna take time to mend things between the three of us, but at least I know that we're gonna do it together. I know I wronged my family, Julie, and I promise you that I'll try my best to make it all work out"  
 _I tell her._

"You did not wrong the family, you just misjudged your decisions, we all do that sometimes. I've never had a son, Ian, but you and Lewis, are the best men I could ever wish for my daughters and their kids. And You've always been the man who would do anything to make my baby happy, and now I still see you as just that. I have no doubt that soon, John and I will be in a church, watching our daughter in a beautiful white dress. I'm not pressuring you into proposing to Lucy right now, ok? I'm just stating something that I **know** will happen, and I can't wait till your family finally comes really together again"  
 _She smiles at me._

"Soon enough, Noah would be the ring bearer, and Lily would be, once again, the flower girl"  
 _I promise her._

 **Meanwhile, at Noah's room.**  
 **Lucy's POV:**

"Momma?"  
 _Noah calls, taking his clothes out of the closet, handing them to me for me to fold and put in the suitcase._

"Yes?"

"Do you forgive Daddy? Like you forgave me?"  
 _He asks._

"But I was never upset with you, Noah. You're my baby boy, and I love you so much that I don't know what I'd do if I ever lost you"  
 _I tell him, pulling him onto my lap, hugging him to my chest._

"But what about Daddy? Don't you love him too?"

 _I sigh before answering his question that I've been asking myself a lot._  
"I used to love your Daddy so so much, Noah. To be honest, I never thought that we would ever be apart, but we did. I was so angry at your Daddy that I just made the decision to leave him, but now I regret that decision so much. Yes, I love your Daddy, but honestly, not as much as I used to. I think we need to start things over so would get where we both used to be"  
 _I simply explain._

"But you'll try to be together, right? I saw you two kissing in the bathroom, that means you're good now, right, Momma?"  
 _He asks._

"What you saw in the bathroom, Noah, I.. I don't know what it means myself. You know, when your Daddy and I first got married, he would always kiss me everyday and promise to always make me happy, and when he found out you were in my tummy, he would always kiss me, promising to keep me happy and safe, and also thanking me for giving him the greatest gift he could ask for. He would always kiss my tummy and whisper secrets to you. He used to talk to us about how his day had been and how he couldn't wait for the baby to come into our life so it would be complete. So that kiss you saw in the bathroom? I'd like to think that it's your Daddy's promise for not only me, but to you too, that we would always be one happy family, no matter how far apart we are"  
 _I tell him._

"I really hope so, Momma"  
 _He says, wrapping his little arms around my neck._

"I over you so much, Noah. I just want you to always know that. I know you might never love me as much as I do, but I just hope I could be a better Mommy to you than I'd been all these years"  
 _I whimper, hugging him tighter into my embrace._

"Momma, please don't cry. I love so much, Momma, and nothing could ever make hate you. My only wish has always been for you and Daddy to want to take me with you so I could finally have a family of my own, like Lily does, and now, I finally got my wish, well, I'm not gonna live with both you and Daddy at the same time, but I'm happy that we're all good, and I'm sure everything is going to be ok with us,and someday, the three of us will be living in the same house again. You just wait and see"  
 _He promises._

"Oh, Noah. How did I ever get so lucky to have a wonderful son as you?"  
 _I ask him, kissing his temple._

"Grandma told me that when a Momma and a Daddy love each other too much, their too much love for each other makes a baby, so that's probably how I was created"  
 _He shrugs._

 _I burst out laughing at my mom's explanation of the baby production._

"What funny business did we miss in here?"

 _I turn around to find standing at the door, giving us his questioning look, partly squinting his eyes at us, and folding his arms. I also notice Momma raising her eyebrow at me, waiting for an answer._

"Nothing much. Noah was just explaining to me how I got so lucky to have him"  
 _I simply answer._

"Of course, you're lucky. My Noah is simply the most wonderful little boy you'll ever meet in your life, right, Baby?"  
 _Momma coos at him, beckoning him to walk into her arms, which he immediately does._

"Thank you for saying that, Grandma. I love you so much, JuJu"  
 _He tells her, kissing her cheek while hugging her neck._

 _I smile as I watch the strong bond between my mom and my son, the bond that I wish I had the half as much of which with him myself. I look at Ian who's also looking at them, probably thinking about the same thing._

"I love you too, my sweet boy. Now, let's go back downstairs to your Grandpa and try to cheer him up because he's feeling kinds sad that you're leaving us here alone"  
 _Momma says, before looking up at me and winking as she walks out of the room._

 **Ian's POV:**

"Thanks for leaving me alone with Julie, by the way"  
 _I sarcastically tell Lucy._

"What else was I supposed to do? Let Noah rat us out?"  
 _She defends herself._

"Well, he didn't have to. She already told me that she has an idea of what had happened, _and_ she gave me the "talk" "  
 _I tell her._

 _The look on Lucy's face is priceless, and it also tells me that she took what I just said the wrong way._

"Oh My God!"  
 _She gasps._

"No no no, not _that_ talk. Come on, Luce, we already have a son together, I think we've already accomplished that. What I meant is, she gave me the talk about not rushing into things and taking them slow to make sure that this is what we both want, and it's what's best for Noah as well"  
 _I elaborate._

"Oh"  
 _Is all she said._

"So?"  
 _I push to know what she thinks of this, and where we stand in all of this._

"So?"  
 _She says back._

"Is that really what you want? I only ask because, well, I wanna know if that kiss and what we talked about earlier meant anything to you. I wanna know if you really want this, us or if you were just emotional and it was just in the heat of the moment?"  
 _I try to make sure._

"Did it mean anything to _you_?"  
 _She questions back._

"Why are you avoiding answering _my_ questions, Lucy? It's really that simple. It's either yes, or no"

"Because I'm the one who's scared to get hurt, Ian. I'm the one who has to pick up the pieces when everything falls apart"  
 _She hisses at me._

 _It might sound selfish, but what about what I'd be like if that happens?_

"And you think I won't get hurt? You really think I'm not afraid you might get hurt, or Noah, or maybe me? Lucy, I'm scared out of freaking mind at just the thought of losing either of you. I'm afraid of the idea of having a world where you don't exist or refuse to be in. I love you, Luce, I love you so much that my heart just melts at the mention of your name. I love you so much that I would give up everything for you and our son, I would even give my life fo.."

"That's just it, Ian. You already gave up on your life before. What says you're not gonna do it again when things get tough between us? It was so easy for you to end your life, thinking that it was the only way to solve your problems. **You** already gave up on me and our son. It's not that I wanna hold it against you, but I can't help but worry about what if we ever got into a big fight? What if you weak out on us again? It's then that I worry about whether you're gonna come back, or someone is gonna call me to tell me they'd found you... they'd found your..."  
 _She's cut off by a heart-wrenching sob._

 _I step closer to her, and warp my arms around her, trying to soothe her. I can't help but feel like a major jerk. I'm the cause for all of this. I was the one who got her and our son into this mess. Now I get why she's reluctant to get back with me. She trusts me enough with our son, but apparently, she's lost her trust in me fighting for our family being back together._

 _I clear my throat, readying myself for what I'm about to say to her. It's ripping my heart apart, but I know if it's what's best for Lucy and Noah, then it has to be done._

"I only want what's best for the both of you, Luce. I can't even think of pressuring you into trying something you may or may not ever be ready for. I just... I just thought that this kiss meant something for the both of us. I just hoped it would mean we could things out, but if didn't mean anything to you, then I guess it's alright for me too. I mean, I only want you to think of yourself as Lucy; the beautiful, caring woman standing in front of me, not just Lucy; the caring mother of our son. I want you to know that I only want to make you and our son happy and make you feel safe, whether we're all together in one house or not"  
 _I assure her, holding my breath waiting for her answer._

 **Lucy's POV:**  
 _But that's not, at all, what I mean._  
 _I slightly pull away from his embrace, just enough to look directly into his striking-blue eyes._

"I never said I don't wanna work things out, Ian. I just said I was afraid. You'd told me earlier that still remember those few minutes when you thought you'd lost me and Noah, well, so do I. I'm still living in the moments when I heard the doctors told us he was not breathing before I blacked out myself, I'm still reliving the moment when you walked out on us in that hospital room, right before you decided to give up your life because you thought it was what's best for the rest of us. I'm just scared, Ian, I'm scared of losing everything and everyone I love, just as I always do"  
 _I confess to him._

 _He partly squints his eyes at me in confusion._  
"So, call me a little stupid here, but what does that mean exactly?"  
 _He asks._

 **Ian's POV:**

"So, call me a little stupid here, but what does that mean exactly?"  
 _I ask her, trying to understand what she just said. I mean, is she into this or not?_

"I think it means that we're both willing to make this work this time, but it might not be nearly as possible as the first time. We love each other, but I don't think only our love is enough to make things work for us, for our family. We also need to trust one another with everything in our lives. We need to learn that there's no room for anymore secrets or mistakes. We need to work things **together** , Ian, not separately"  
 _She explains._

 _I'm pretty sure my face just broke into the biggest grin there is in the world._

 _Sh-she's willing for us to work things out. I can't believe I'm getting a second chance to finally have my own family with the one woman I have ever truly loved and cared for._

"We will. We'll work things out together as a family. I don't care what it takes for us to finally be back together, I will do it. We will make it work, Lucy, for the two of us first then us and our son. I know that we should do this for Noah, and I agree with that, but I **do** know the no matter what happens, whether we're together or apart, we both will always care about Noah and what's best for him"  
 _I hurriedly blurt out, pulling her back into my embrace, in a way, assuring her that I'll stick to my word this time and also assuring myself that this isn't just a daydream or a fantasy of mine. This is all real, it's all really happening. I'm finally given a chance to make things right with my family, and the people I've wronged theses past years._

 _I slowly pull away from Lucy so I could ask her something that's been on my mind for a couple of days._

"Hey, I need to ask you something"  
 _I tell her._

"What?"

"Noah never really got to celebrate his birthday, so I was thinking why don't i just whip up something tonight, like kind of a small surprise party for him? I mean, we already have the presents, I'm surprised he didn't even ask for them once he got back home. We could invite his friends too, that way he could say goodbye before moving to LA. I mean, I already have a much bigger surprise for the both of you. What do you think?"  
 _I suggest._

"I think, I think that you're the best Daddy I could've ever asked for Noah, but what's the surprise?"  
 _She asks._

"What do you think it would be if I told you what it is? It certainly wouldn't be a surprise, would it?"  
 _I ask her, raising my eyebrow, and waiting for her to give a "non" existing right answer._

"I trust you with surprises, Ian, and when you say it's good, that always means it's out the world, so, am I gonna like it?"  
 _She asks._

"You're both gonna **love** it. It's something both you and Noah have always wanted to do, but never really got to, so I made sure to make that wish come true"  
 _I hint._

"Now I can't really wait till I figure out what the surprise actually is. I mean, it's not much what I have in common with Noah"  
 _She whines, trying to figure it all out._

"Don't think too much, Lucy, you might get. Headache. Now, if you'll excuse me, I have a surprise party to plan"  
 _I chuckle, making my way out of the room, leaving a grumpy Lucy on her own._

"Damn you, Ian"  
 _She mutters behind me._

"I love you too, Goose"  
 _I reply, laughing at her childish behavior._  
 _Sometimes, I think Noah is more mutuel than Lucy is. I mean, he would argue and try to convince you of the things he believes, but Lucy? She would just whine and throw a fit, if she doesn't get what she wants. But I wouldn't trade any of this for anything in the world._

 _With that in mind, I walk out of the house, on my way to one of my dear friends here in Tennessee; Josh. He owns a stable just outside Nashville. We've known each other for years, and whenever I come to visit, we always hang out and grab some beers together._

"Well, If it ain't for the guy who thinks his son is too good to meet his old buddy"  
 _Jo greets me._

"No one is too good to meet you, Jo. How are ya man?"  
 _I greet him back, giving him a bro hug._

"Still good lookin' as you can see"  
 _He smirks._

"Well, which woman could resist you, looking like that, holding a roll of hay, going around in those damn tight jeans?"  
 _I joke with him._

"A woman who's already taken. So, how's it goin' with ya?"  
 _He asks._

 _I sigh before giving him an answer._  
"I'm good, actually"

"Are you back with the Missus yet?"  
 _He asks with a knowing smile._

"We're working things out, Jo. We both want this, but we agreed not to rush things"  
 _I happily tell him._

"Good for you. Would you like to grab a beer. I know it's still early in the day, but one couldn't hurt, right?"

"Actually, I can't. I'm here to ask you a great favor"  
 _I politely decline._

"Shoot"  
 _He says._

"For some reasons, we couldn't celebrate Noah's birthday last week, reasons that I'd have to tell you later, but anyways, I was wondering if you could help me throw him a surprise birthday party today, here in your barn behind your stable?"  
 _I ask him._

"You wanna throw you kid's birthday party here? In my stable?"  
 _He asks._

"It's alright if can't help me. I cou..."

"No, no, this ain't what I meant at all. It's just kids these days want things all Disney and fancy, and all that stuff"  
 _He cuts me off._

"Believe, Noah is nothing like that, I mean, the reason I thought of your stable is that he _loves_ horses and ponies. So I thought what better place to celebrate his birthday than at my old buddy's? So, what do you say?"  
 _I ask him._

"I say it's about time to meet the boy I've been waiting to see for years, man. And don't worry, I've got ya. The barn will be ready for the party in time for Noah's birthday party"  
 _He tells me, patting my back._

"Thank you so much, Jo. I owe you, big time"

"Don't mention it, Harding. Now, off you go. I have plenty of work to do now"  
 _He says, shooing me off._

 _Now I need to make some calls to my family, and Julie so she, herself, would call family and Noah's friends._

 **A couple of hours later.**  
 _I just got off the phone with Josh, he said the barn is now ready. I'd already worked s plan with everybody that we'd tell Noah that him and I are spending the rest of the day out with one of my friend; Josh, who's been dying to meet him, but what he doesn't know is that we're going to the stable where Josh is waiting for us._

"Noah, please, put on your coat, it's cold outside"  
 _I hear Lucy pleading with Noah as I step just outside his room._

"Ok, Momma. I really excited to spend sometime with Daddy. It's been a long time"  
 _I hear him say._

"He told me he has a surprise for you"  
 _She tells him._

"I just wanna be with Daddy, Momma. That's all that matters. That surprise is just a bonus"  
 _It just melts my heart that I have the honor and the great privilege to have a caring son as Noah._

"Are you ready, buddy?"  
 _I ask, pretending that I just got here, and that I've been eavesdropping._

"Yes, Daddy. We're not late, are we? You're friend won't be upset, right? It's not nice to keep people waiting"  
 _He rambles. It's something he does whenever he's nervous._

 _I chuckle at his nervousness, shaking my head._

"No, Noah. We're not late. And actually, Jo is still gonna be working when we arrive, so he wouldn't mind if we were a little late"  
 _I assure him._

"Oh! Where does work, Daddy?"  
 _He asks._

"That's actually part of my surprise for you. Now, come on, let's hit the road"  
 _I tell him, extending my hand out for him to take._

"Bye, Momma. I'll see you soon"  
 _Noah says, waving his little hands at Lucy before grabbing my hand to walk out of the room._

"Bye, baby. Have fun, Noah I'll see you sooner than you think"  
 _She calls after him._

"Huh?"  
 _He turns to look at her in confusion._

"Don't mind her, son. She's just jealous we're spending a little time alone, without her"  
 _I tell him, teasing Lucy in the process._

 **Thirty minutes later.**  
 _I park the car just at the gate where Noah decides to break the silence._

"Daddy, where are we?"  
 _He asks me, observing the place around us, probably trying to figure out what Josh actually does._

"I'll help you out of the car, and then I'll show you your surprise, deal?"  
 _I guess it's easier shown than explained, right?_

"Deal"  
 _He nods._

 _I step out of the car, then turn around to help Noah out._

 _Not even a few seconds later after he's standing on his little feet, that he gasps out loud._

"Daddy, Look! It's a little pony"  
 _He exclaims, pointing at a little pony with a blue bow on top of his head running towards us._

 _I also notice an out-of-breath Josh running behind him._

"What's up? A little outta shape for a little pony?"  
 _I snicker at him._

"I can only say that it's better now that he's with owner, finally"  
 _He says nodding his head towards Noah who's too busy patting the little pony to even acknowledge Josh who just joined us._

"O-owner? What? Josh that's..."

"That my present for my boy, so you don't really have a say in this, Harding. Besides, he seems too attached to it already to even say hi to his father's friend"

"I told you he love horses and ponies. Thank you so much for this, he's gonna be so happy when he finds out"

"Noah!"

"Yes, Daddy?"  
 _He says, coming towards me with his little pony friend not too far behind._

"This is my friend; Josh, also known as Jo. He's the one I told you about, who's been wanting to meet you"  
 _I introduce them._

"Nice to meet you, sir"

"A boy who knows manners. Well, good thing I have some sweets around the barn for those kind of polite little guys. Nice to meet you too, little Harding"  
 _Jo greets him, shaking his hand._

"Here's your pony, sir. He seems so nice, and he's not very naughty, but he loves to run, I see"  
 _Noah exclaims, pushing the little pony towards Jo._

"Well, tell you what? Since you're a fine respectful little boy, Why don't you hold on to him for now, maybe you could keep him too?"  
 _Jo offers._

 _A pure look of happiness and astonishment washes over Noah's face._

"Really? I-I could keep him? For real, s-sir?"  
 _He's too shocked to even form a sentence without stuttering._

"Yes, Noah, for real. Consider it as your late birthday present. And please, just call me Jo, sir just makes me feel like an old man"  
 _I hear Jo telling him._

"Thank you. I never celebrated my birthday this year, and this is the first present I ever got, so thank you so much, Jo"  
 _Noah says, taking off at no hugging his legs._

"I guess we'll see about that birthday party, don't we, Jo?"  
 _I nod at the barn, silently asking him if everyone is inside yet._

"What's his name?"  
 _Noah asks, clueless to the silent conversation going on between me and Jo._

"Since he's yours, why don't you name him yourself? That way you'd know what to call him once we step into the barn now"  
 _Jo discreetly answers my question, at which I nod at him._

"Um. I think the name 'Arrow' suits him since he's so fast"  
 _Noah asks after some short-time thinking._

"I think that's a really beautiful name too, buddy. Now, why don't we go to the barn to see what's in there?"  
 _I suggest._

"Ok. Come on, Arrow"  
 _He says, skipping ahead of us towards the barn._

 _Jo and I hold the doors to open them so Noah would be in the middle, standing in front of the door so he would be able to see all the people inside, waiting to surprise him._

"Is someone in there? Daddy, I heard something move inside. Why is it so da...?"

 _He's cut off by people screaming 'surprise' and clapping their hands, and kids running towards a really shocked Noah._

 _He turns to look at me with tears in his eyes, tears, I'm most certain, are of utter joy._

"Happy birthday, buddy"  
 _I tell him, as I open my arms for him in which he jumps right away._

"Thank you, Daddy. I love you so much"  
 _He says, kissing my cheek before sniffling._

"I love you too, Noah. The little man, I'm so proud to call my own"  
 _I tell him, hugging him tighter in my arms._

"Happy birthday, baby"  
 _Says Lucy as she steps closer to us, patting Noah's back._

"Thank you, Momma. This is the best day of my life so far"  
 _I hear him tell Lucy._

"Well, wait till the end of the party, I still have one more, much bigger, surprise for you and your Mommy"  
 _I promise them both._

 _An hour later, after cutting the cake, it's finally time for opening his presents, Noah seems really excited to know what he got for his late birthday._

 _So far, he's had a train set from my sister; Sarah, a cowboy boots and hats from my parents; Mary and Stephen. Julie and John; Lucy's parents, got him a dog house and dog necessities which I didn't understand why they got until I found out that Maggie and Lewis had gotten him a little puppy. Lily even saved some money and got him a little blue car toy. His friends had gotten him various amounts of toys also. Lucy got him a nice big blue electric car, which he loved very much. Now, it's time for my surprise._

"So" _I start_ "If I could just have Noah for one private moment, please"  
 _I say, taking him away, just far enough for me to tell him his surprise in private first._

"What is it, Daddy?"  
 _He asks, excited to find out._

"I got us tickets to go somewhere you and your Mommy have always been dying to go. So, I wanted to know what you think of it before we both could surprise Lucy"  
 _I tell him._

"Tickets? Where will we go?"  
 _He asks, jumping up and down in excitement._

"Um. We're kinda uh. We're sorta going to Disney world"  
 _I blurt out, barely able to hold back the excitement myself._

"Wh-what?! Oh My God! Really, Daddy? Oh My God! OH MY GOD!"  
 _He shouts in excitement, just before his face dramatically falls._  
"Oh no!"

"What? What is it?"  
 _I frantically ask him, wanting to know hat caused his change of reaction._

"If I go to Disney World, Lily would be so sad she couldn't go. She's always wanted to go there, but auntie Maggie told her they couldn't because Tommy is too young to go there with them"  
 _He sighs._

 _My heart swells in my chest at my son's caring nature. Obviously, Julie's done a great job for Lucy and I for raising our son, but what he doesn't know is that I'd already had an agreement with Maggie and Lewis that we'd take Lily with us on this trip. I also talked to Lucy's agent so I would figure out the perfect time for the trip for both of us._

"I guess this is a surprise for Lucy and Lily too now, huh?"  
 _I say._

"What?"  
 _He ask, confused._

"I already got a ticket for Lily too, buddy. She's gonna come with us to Disney World"  
 _I let him know._

"YOU'RE THE BEST DADDY EVER!"  
 _Noah bursts in happiness._

"I think it's time now to surprise the ladies"  
 _I tell him, as the both of us make our way to the small stage set up in the barn._

"Uhhm"  
 _I try to get people's attention._

"EXCUSE US!"  
 _Noah calls out, to get everybody's attention to us._

"I finally found out the surprise Daddy's prepared for us. Daddy?"  
 _Noah start, before turning to me, hinting that's it's my turn to talk now._

"Years ago, Lucy and I wanted to make a trip to a certain place, but days before we started planning the perfect time for this trip, we found out that we were having a baby, so going on that trip was out of the question back then. And now the baby has grown into a perfect little boy who's always wanted to go on the same said trip. So I thought why not make that wish come true? So, we will just come out and say it..."  
 _I trail off, nodding at Noah, silently telling him that we'll both just announce the surprise together._

 _We both look back at the small crowd of people in front of us._

"We're going to Disney World!"  
 _We shout out loud._

 _I look at Lucy who has tears in her eyes, tears that mirror mine. This trip isn't like just any other trip, this trip is our first wish as family to come true._  
 _I'm cut off of my thoughts by a tug on my pants, I look down to see Noah nodding at Lily who's trying really hard to hold back her tears, that's when I remember the other person included in the surprise._

"But that's not all. We have four tickets, three for me, Lucy, and Noah. So the forth ticket is for someone very special to the three of us, and that person is a beautiful little girl here in the crowd, so Noah, would you do us the honor and call out to that girl so she wouldn't get upset thinking she's not going?"  
I announce.

"That girl is ... my only girl cousin; LILY CLARK"  
 _Noah says out loud._

 _A gasp escapes Lily's mouth, immediately followed by a muffled sob._

"Really?"  
 _She looks at us with teary eyes after she pulls her head out of Lewis's neck._

"Yes, Lily. I told Daddy you'd be sad if you didn't get to go there, so he said you could come with us, so it'll be the four of us going on that trip"  
 _Noah assures her._

"Thank you, Noah. You're very nice to me even though I've always been a meanie to you, and I'm so sorry for giving you a hard time"  
 _She whimpers, running at Noah to hug him after Lewis put her down on her little feet._

"It's ok, Lily. I love you even if you weren't always nice to me. Now we get to start over and be best of friends, yeah?"  
 _He asks her._

"Of course, Noah. I love you, too"  
 _She replies, giving him a big wet kiss on the cheek, as if to seal the promise._

 _I look up at Lucy, watching her look of pride of our son. She looks up at me, making her way through the small crowd of family and friends._

 **Lucy's POV:**  
 _I watch Noah and Lily finally reconcile. I've always imagined them having a close relationship, like my cousin;Madeline and I do. And now, I can just that happening before my eyes._  
 _I look up at Ian who's looking at me the same way he's always done, the way that always made me blush and thankful for having him in my life. I make my way to him, looking into his eyes._

"Thank you"  
 _I tell him, genuinely, holding his hand, giving it a squeeze of gratitude._

"You're more than welcome, Goose. I know you've always wanted to go..."  
 _He starts but I cut him off._

"No, Ian. I mean, yeah I'm thankful for the trip, but what I meant is for making Noah happy, and Lily too. I know it means a lot to the both of them, so thank you"  
 _I exclaim, before leaning in and kissing him, in front of our friends and family._

"Oh My God! Noah!"  
 _We hear Lily gasp._

 _And then Noah sighs contently._  
"I know. I'm so lucky to have my family back"  
 _He says, coming towards us hugging our legs, which makes us smile into the kiss before pulling away and looking down at our son. Ian lifts him up, including him into our own little group hug._

"My biggest present today is having both my Momma and Daddy here with me in my birthday party"  
 _He mumbles into our hug._

 _This indeed has been the best day of our life as a family, and hopefully, there are more happy days to come._

* * *

 **A/N: Tell me what you thought in the comments below, please.**  
 **Kisses,**  
 **Esraa.**


	15. Chapter14- A Trip To Remember

_Tomorrow, we are finally going on our trip to Disney world._  
 _Right now I'm in my bedroom in my LA apartment, packing for our trip. Noah and Lily are in Noah's room playing with whatever toy their eyes land on. I swear, every five minutes, there's an argument between the two of them._

"Auntie Lu?"  
 _I turn around to find Lily standing there, just outside my bedroom with teary eyes and quivering lips._

"Honey, what's wrong?"  
 _I ask her as I run up to her, trying to figure out what's bothering her._

"I miss my Mommy and Daddy"  
 _She says before bursting into tears._

 _I sigh before hugging her tightly running my hand up and down her back trying to soothe and calm her down._

"I'm sure you do, sweetie, but don't you like it here with me and Noah? I thought you were having fun"  
 _I ask her, wondering how many times my mom had to deal with Noah crying to her because of the exact same thing._

"I am having fun, but I just miss them so much. I miss having Mommy and Lily time, and I miss when Daddy reads stories to me at night before I close my eyes to go to sleep"  
 _She whimpers._

"But I thought you were excited to go to Disney World with us. Don't you want that anymore?"

"I do, but what if Mommy and Daddy hate me because I went there without them, and then they would like Tommy more than me? What if when I go home, and they don't want me back and I'd have to live with Grandma Julie? Like Noah did"  
 _She rambles._

 _Now, not only have I managed to make my son worried about his parents leaving him, but I also made my niece worry about hers._

"Honey, there's absolutely no need for you to worry about that, ever. Your Mommy and Daddy will always love you no matter what. No matter how many kids they have, they will always love each and everyone of you just as much as they love the other. They might get upset or mad at you sometimes, but only because they're worried you might get hurt. They might even yell and shout at you, but they'll never love you any less. I promise"  
 _I tell her, kissing the top of her head._

"Thank you for making me feel better, Auntie Lu"  
 _She mumbles, kissing me on the cheek as a thank you._

"You are very welcome, baby. Do you want me to Face-time your Mommy for you while I go see what Noah's up to?"  
 _I offer._

"Yeah"  
 _She nods._  
 _I stand up, lifting her up onto my hips as I look for my phone before I call Maggie right away._

"Hey!"  
 _Maggie greets us as soon as she sees both me and Lily on her screen._

"Hi, Mommy"  
 _Lily whimpers all over again. I guess she really does miss her parents._

"Baby, what's wrong?"

"Nothing, Mommy. I was just feeling a bit sad, but auntie Lu made everything better now"  
 _Lily hiccups._

"Are you sure you're ok, honey?"  
 _Maggie frowns in concern._

"Everything is ok now, Maggie. She just misses her Mommy and Daddy"  
 _I answer, seeing as Lily is only nodding her head at her mommy._

"Well, I miss my Lilz too, baby girl. Don't worry you're gonna have so much fun with your auntie Lucy, uncle Ian, and Noah too"  
 _Maggie soothes her._

"Hey, I'm gonna leave you two for some Mommy and Lily time, ok? I'm just gonna see what Noah is doing right now, and I'll be right back"  
 _I say, sitting Lily on my bed leaving my phone in her hand, before I step out of the room to go and find_ my _baby boy._

 _I step into Noah's room and instantly a smile appears on my face as I find him holding a book just mumbling words as he flips over the pages._

"Are you actually reading? or are you just looking at the pictures in there?"  
 _I ask him, making my way to his bed where he's lying on his back crossing his legs, holding the book just above his head._

"Both, Momma. I'm trying to memorize the words and see where it is in the picture"  
 _He lets me know, not taking his eyes off his book._

"You are so smart, you know that?"

"Thank you, Momma, for saying that. I always try to ready a lot of books so I would know more and more words everyday. Grandma always tells me to only read children's books though, she says grownup book have some really big words that I wouldn't understand till I get old enough to read those books, and sometimes they have bad and mean words that nobody should ever use"  
 _He says, looking up at me for the first time since I came into his room._

"And she's probably right, baby. Sometimes, there are just big words that are beyond understanding for young readers like you"  
 _I agree._  
"Did you finish packing your suitcase or do you need some help with it?"  
 _I ask, making sure we're all set for tomorrow._

"Well, I was waiting for you to tell me what exactly to take, but I think I might need Daddy's help with it though"  
 _He says as he sets straight up, putting his book on the nightstand next to his bed._

"Why do you think your Daddy's help is better than mine, mister?"  
 _I playfully scowl at him._

"Because he's a boy. He knows how guys pack their suitcases, not like you girls, you pack everything you think you _might_ need not what you would really need"  
 _He states, in a matter of fact tone._

"Oh really? And who told you that?"  
 _I can't believe he's already playing the Guys vs. Girls card._

"I just know it"  
 _He shrugs._

"So, you don't need my help? Like at all?"  
 _I ask, pretending to get off the bed, but I'm immediately pulled back down._

"NO! I'll always need you, Momma. Look, why don't I ask Daddy how many shirts and pants I'd need, and then you pick which I pack in my suitcase?"  
 _He negotiates, climbing up on my lap and circling his little arms around my neck._

 _I hold him closer to me, kissing his head._

"Well, I'm glad you still need me, otherwise, I'd feel unwanted"  
 _I pout at him._

"You're never gonna be unwanted, Momma. I love you so so much"  
 _He consoles me, kissing my cheek._

"I love you too, Noah. I..."  
 _I'm cut off by an over-joyed Lily running into the room holding my phone out for me, she's probably done talking to Maggie._

"Auntie Lu, Mommy wants to talk to you"  
 _She says, handing me the phone and running off to play with her dolls._

"Hey, Mag. I see you could calm her down a little"  
 _I tell her, seeing as Lily is clearly feeling much better than earlier._

"Yeah. She's never really been away from me for that long. Hey, Noah. How has my little guy been?"  
 _She greets Noah who's still cuddling into me._

"Hi, auntie Maggie. I'm doing good, thank you. How are you? And Uncle Lewis? How is little Tommy doing? I miss him so much, and I miss playing with him"

"They're doing great, honey. Thank you for asking. You know, I miss my little Noah helping me with little Tommy, and he seems to miss you too"  
 _The phone shuffles a little before Tommy appears on the screen._

"Lily, come here. Your brother is on the screen"  
 _I call for Lily, and she just sprints up to where we are sitting on the bed._

"Hi, Tommy"  
 _She greets the gurgling baby._

 _Maggie holds up his little hand to let him wave at us._

"Oh, Tommy boy you're getting so big"  
 _I coo at him while he looks at us, puzzled by what's going on._

"It's like he's always waiting for one of the kids to jump out of nowhere. He really misses them"

"Hi, Tom Tom. How are you doing? I'm sorry I'm not there with you, but I'm with my Momma and Daddy now and I'm happy. I promise I will come to visit you as soon as I could"  
 _Noah promises him. He's such a good kid._

 _I can see Tommy beginning to fuss in Maggie's arm, so she rocks him up and down trying to soothe him._  
 _Lily runs back to her toys, apparently, not willing to deal with a fussing baby._

"Maybe he needs his Pooh"  
 _Noah tells Maggie._

"His what?"  
 _I ask confused._

"I think you might be right, Noah. Let me try it"  
 _Maggie answers, getting up to get Tommy's Pooh, whatever that is._

"It's Pooh, his stuffed bear, Momma"  
 _He explains to me._

"Oh. Ok, now I understand"

"It's not working"  
 _Maggie whines, as little Tommy fusses even more._

"Auntie Maggie. Let Tommy look at the screen of the phone"  
 _Noah tells her as he takes my phone out of my hand to look at Tommy who's whimpering now._

"Hey, little Tommy. Now you listen to me, now listen carefully. It's just you and me. All is fine, all is well. Now I'll start to chant my spell"  
 _Noah sings to him, and Tommy is actually listening carefully to what he has to say. He almost immediately stopped crying and is actually giving him a gummy smile, and kind of humming with him._

"Do you know what the spell is? All you have to say is CHOCOLATE CHIPS!"  
 _As soon as Noah says chocolate chips, Tommy bursts out giggling._

"Oh My God, Noah. How did you do that? I've been trying to calm him down all morning, but I never managed to do it"  
 _Maggie gasps, looking between Noah on the screen and Tommy who sitting contently on her lap, in a much happier mood._

"I always sing to him when he's sleepy, Auntie Maggie. Now you could hand him his Pooh, he'll hug it very close then go right to sleep"  
 _Noah tells her, and I watch as Maggie follows his instructions. She holds up Tommy's Pooh, and he holds out his little hands to grab it, hugging it tightly an hiccups before closing his pretty blue eyes._

 _I look down in awe at my baby. I'm so proud of who my son has become. He's such a well-mannered little boy who's willing to do his might to help others._

"I better go put this little one down for a nap before he changes his mind. And now, I'm more than certain that I might hold Noah a hostage the next time I see him. I could really use his help with calming Tommy down"  
 _Maggie says, cutting my thoughts off._

"Hey. No. no one is gonna take my Noah away from me. He's mine and mine alone. And I'm so proud of him"  
 _I tell her, looking back down at Noah who's softly smiling at sleeping Tommy before waving at Maggie._

"Bye, auntie Maggie. I love you, and I'll see you all soon"

"Bye, Noah. Thanks for helping me with the little one. I'll see you next week when you come back from your trip. Bye, Luce"  
 _She says before hanging up._

"Momma?"  
 _Noah calls me as soon as the call ends._

"Yeah?"  
 _I reply, not realizing that I've already been staring down at him._

"When is Daddy coming?"

"I think he's already on his way, baby. Now come on, we need to prepare for lunch before Ian arrives"  
 _I tell him as I get off the bed, picking him up onto my hip with me._

 **An hour later**  
 _We're all sitting at the table, having lunch which turned out to be Pizza, as requested by the kids_.

"So, Noah. Did grandma H teach you that song you sang to Tommy earlier?"  
 _I ask him, swallowing my mouth-watering bite of my pizza._

"No"  
 _He simply replies._

"What song?"  
 _Ian asks, looking at me, and then at Noah, waiting for an answer._

"Earlier, we were face-timing Maggie, and little Tommy was fussing in her arms, but our Little Noah here is like a baby whisperer. In a matter of minutes, he could calm him down and Tommy even went to sleep right after he sang him a song"  
 _I tell him, still not quiet able to wrap my mind around the idea of how perfect our little boy is. How we managed to have such a little angel on our hands, is really beyond me. Im so very grateful for having him and get to call him my son._

"He loves when I sing to him, so I kinda made it up for him"  
 _Noah comments casually._

 _I gape at him like I have just been hit on the head._

"You mean to tell me that... that you wrote that little song? All by yourself?"

"Yeah. I told you I know a lot of words, Momma"  
 _Noah says, shrugs again._

"Buddy, you're only four-years old. Let me tell you, a lot of adults know a lot more words than you do, and yet, they don't know how to write songs, so if you could do it at such young age, that's pure talent, Noah"  
 _Ian tells him, seemingly as surprised as I am by this little discovery._

"You know, Noah, I only started writing my own songs when I was fourteen. So you must be really smart to write songs at this young age of yours"  
 _I praise him before turning to look at Ian who's looking adoringly at our miracle of a son._  
"You should've heard him too, Ian. He has such a beautiful voice, and he didn't miss a note either"  
 _I proudly add._

"Well, he clearly gets it from his talented Mommy. I mean, I could never sing to save my life"  
 _Ian comments, as he looks at me, giving that boyish flirty smile of his._

 _Ian always knows how to make me blush, without even saying a word sometimes._

 _I avert my gaze to Lily who's been quiet this whole time._

"Hey, Lily, why are you so awfully quiet?"  
 _I call her, trying to get her attention._

"Nothing"  
 _She mumbles, picking at her food._

"Don't you like your pizza? Do you need me to make you something else?"  
 _I ask her as I try to figure out the reason she hasn't said a word since Ian arrived._

"No, thank you, auntie Lu"  
 _She shakes her head._

"Is there something bothering you, baby? Do you still miss your mommy and daddy?"  
 _I ask her as I get off my chair, and walk over to where she's sitting at the table. I can tell she's about to burst into tears._

"I'm angry, auntie Lu"  
 _She bursts into tears._

"What? Why, sweetheart? Who made you this upset?"

"No one. I'm angry at myself"

"Why, baby?"  
 _What does she think she should be angry at herself for?_

"You three are a family now, and I miss mommy and daddy. Now, I get how Noah felt when he was staying at Nanna's and I had my mommy and daddy. I feel bad that he was sad like I'm feeling right now, and I wasn't very nice with him. I was a meanie to Noah"  
 _She sobs into my chest._

"It's ok, Lily. I forgave you. You were only giving me a hard time because you thought I'd hurt my Momma when I was a baby, but now, we all know that it wasn't what really happened, right, Momma?"  
 _Noah consoles her, giving her a side hug as she's still hugging me._

"That's absolutely right, baby. Lily, there's absolutely no reason for you to still be upset about this. It's all in the past. All we can do now is love each other and try to have a good time together, so from now on, no more sad tears, only happy ones, ok?"  
 _I ask her as I pull her away from me just enough so I could look into her eyes and wipe her precious tears._

"Ok"  
 _She mumbles quietly._

 **The next afternoon.**

 _This morning has been absolute hell. Ian and I had two grumpy kids on a five-hours too long flight. Even though Noah is always as sweet as an angel, he sure is a grumpy riser. let me tell you, he does not like to be awoken early, but to be honest, he gets that from me. I mean, Ian is a cheery person whenever he wakes up,whatever time it is, day or night. As for Lily, well, she's a girl, no what girl likes to be awaken ear,jerk than she has to, right?_  
 _As soon as we arrived the kids literally raced to bed, without even considering changing into more comfortable clothes, but Ian and I don't really mind the peace and quiet at all._

"Hey, Luce, why don't you get some rest before the kids wake up, and **demand** to go out and explore for a while?"  
 _Ian suggests._

"Nah. It's alright. I'm not really that tired. We're both used to traveling across the country by now, Ian. I could just use a bite though"  
 _I say._

"I think I could use a bite too. Why don't I go out and see if we have some place near by to grab something to eat? Are you gonna be ok here with kids on your own till I get back?"  
 _He offers._

"I think I can manage two sleeping kids on my own, Mr. Harding"  
 _I sass him._

"Well, but when you have two grumpy kids running up and down, don't come crying to me"  
 _He puts his hands up in fake surrender._

"Go, Shmian, we'll be just fine till you get back"  
 _I shoo him out, then head back to the unpacking left to do._

 _Fifteen minutes later, I hear a groaning voice coming from one of the kids._  
 _I turn to find Noah sitting up on the bed, rubbing his eyes and yawning widely, and Lily just beginning to stir._

"Good afternoon, sleepyhead"  
 _I chuckle at his mess of hair, that he clearly gets from Ian._

"Where am I?"  
 _He asks, looking around the place._

"You don't even remember where we are? You must've been really tired then"  
 _I ask him, getting off bad, and walking toward him before picking him up._

"Are we in Florida yet?"  
 _He asks, still not realizing where we are at the moment._

"Baby, we've been in Florida for hours now. You and Lily went right to sleep the moment we stepped in here"  
 _I tell him, kissing his little head that's found its place on my shoulder._

"We're here?"  
 _He gasps, pulling his head straight up to inspect the place more thoroughly, suddenly now more awake._  
 _He wiggles out of my arms, asking to be put down. He runs around for a few minutes before running up to Lily to wake her up._

"Lily, come on. Wake up, Lily. We're in Florida. We're here"  
 _He announces, rather loudly._

 _I watch as Lily grumbles before sitting up right, probably wondering what the fuss is all about._

"Where are we?"  
 _She asks him, as soon as she sees the giddy look on his face, but before he could answer her, Ian walks through the door with two boxes of pizza and bags of what I think drinks for us._

"What did I miss?"  
 _He asks, seeing Noah jumping up and down around the place._

"We're really, Daddy. Finally"  
 _Noah re-announces._

"Wow. This place is beautiful"  
 _Lily, now more awake, gapes at the place where we're staying._  
 _She's right about that. Ian really out did himself with this trip. He's booked us a 2 Bedroom Lock-Off Villa, it has a view over Resort Grounds. It has a King Bed and Queen-Size Sleeper Sofa. The sleeping arrangements might be a little awkward considering Ian and i's situation, but we'll manage. The whole place is just really beautiful, but really expensive though._

"I take it they just woke up?"  
 _Ian asks me._

"Yeah"  
 _I answer him, chuckling as I watch Lily dragging Noah behind her around the place to explore some more._

"I brought pizza. I hope that's ok"  
 _Ian gestures at the pizza boxes he just put on the table._

"It's fine really. Pizza is kinda our thing, Shmian"  
 _And that's true. Ian and I always used to eat pizza all the time. We would just order pizza for the night, or so,Stimson we would plan a pizza-making date night. It took us about hundred attempts, give or take, but we finally, sorta, mastered it. Plus, what little kid doesn't love pizza, right?_

"Yeah. Kids! It's pizza time"  
 _He calls out to Noah and Lily who are still running around the place. I guess they're just that excited to get started on the trip._

 _They both come running up to the table. Eager for pizza, obviously, but also to ask some burning questions._

"What are we doing today, Daddy?"  
"Are we gonna stay here all the time, Auntie Lu?"  
"This pizza looks yummy"  
"Yeah, I'm so hungry. I could just a whole one all by myself"

 _They both ramble on and on, leaving me and Ian looking at them in amazement at how they could even talk that fast._

"Ok, first of all, slow down. And please, eat more slowly so you wouldn't choke. And second of all, I'm just as clueless about out agenda as you both are. Remember, Ian is the one who planned this whole trip, so you have to ask him, not me"  
 _I turn to look at Ian as I say the last part._

 _"_ Well, I would like to announce that in about an hour, exactly at 3pm, we have to be at The Pirates League. I've reserved a Mermaid Package for miss Lily because I know how much she loves mermaids and princesses. And as for Noah, I got him the Jake and the Never Land Pirates Deluxe package. All I know about them is what I've read on the Internet **(A/N: As do I)** which I really thought you might like"  
 _Ian replies._

"That's cool!"  
 _Noah exclaims._

"And afterwards, we are going to do Character Dining. There are character meals in the restaurant we have reservation at. You can take a look at the list and choose who you would like to dine with"  
 _Ian proudly adds._

 _I think so far, Ian has done a pretty good job._

"So does that mean I can have dinner with any princess I want?"  
 _Lily asks in shock._

"Yup. Anyone you choose"  
 _Ian confirms._

 _She immediately shoots off her seat, running onto Ian's lap._

"Thank you. Thank you. Thank you"

"You're welcome, Lily"

"So, Ian. Tell us what you know about the packages you've reserved for them today"  
 _I ask him._

"Well if my memory serves me right, it said that the Mermaid Package included Iridescent mermaid makeup and makeup palette, Mermaid hairstyle and color-changing hair clip, face gems, Teal nail polish, Mermaid sash, and Color changing necklace"  
 _Ian answers as he looks down at Lily who's still sitting on his lap._

"What about me? What do I have reserved for me?"  
 _Noah asks, after he wipes off the mess he made all over his face while eating._

"Well, for you, buddy. I got you something, of course, more manly. I've reserved you the Jake and the Never Land Pirates Deluxe package which consists of Jake and the Never Land Pirates bandana with "Jake" hair, Jake facial effects, Official Pirate coin necklace and treasure bag, Sword and Pirates League sheath, and Jake and the Never Land Pirates costume T-shirt"

"Whoa! All that for me? For sure?"  
 _Noah gasps, shocked by Ian's reveal._

"All that for the both of you, and much more too"

"But what about Momma? This trip is for her too, you know"  
 _Noah, my always caring little angel, asks Ian in a playful scolding tone._

 _I laugh at his attempt to put on an accusatory look on his face._

"It's ok, honey. As long as you and Lily are happy, then I am too"

"I honestly feel a little offended that you would think I would forget about your Mommy, Noah. She's my queen, you know. I could never ever forget about her, even if I tried"  
 _Ian pulls a fake hurt look on his face._

"I'm just reminding you, Daddy. We don't want her to feel left out, ok? I'm just saying"  
 _Noah put up his hands in defense._

"So what have you got for me, Mr. Harding?"  
 _I ask him in amusement._

"That, my dear, is a surprise for you... tomorrow night"  
 _He winks at me._

"You would keep me waiting till tomorrow? Night? Ian, that's cruel of you. You know how impatient I get about surprises"  
 _I playfully pout at him._

"Oh, don't give me that pout. It won't work, Luce. You'll have to just wait and see"  
 _He shakes his head at me._

"Well, whatever you have planned, I'm sure I would like it"  
 _I smile at him._

"I surely hope so"  
 _He smiles back._

 **Several hours later**  
 _We are now on our way back from an exhausting, yet very exciting outing with the kids. They really did enjoy themselves today. Ian and I did too. First, we went to The Pirates League where Ian had the reservations for the kids. Noah really loves pirates, even though, he thinks "they need more discipline", his word not mine, so he was so excited to see what Ian had hidden for him. As for Lily, she just squealed at the top of her lungs when she was given the Mermaid sash, color-changing necklace and hair clip._  
 _Afterwards, we went to the diner where each chose a character to have the meal with. Lily chose, no scratch that, she demanded that she wanted to dine with Princess Anna from Frozen, because Anna would then tell her about all the other characters in the kingdom, she said that if she would've picked Elsa, she never would've gotten anything out of her, "Elsa doesn't really like to talk very much" She said. Noah, on the other hand, chose Pinocchio only because he wanted to have a word with him. That really surprised me and Ian, we thought Noah would've chosen another character, but no, he said that Pinocchio should have someone to tell him that lying is never the way to solve things. Noah is truly someone I'm really proud to be calling my own son._  
 _Finally, we decided to walk back to our place. The weather is nice tonight, so why not enjoy the walk back and see all the pretty lights outside before we call it a night, right? The kids really enjoyed it too. Even though they both were ready to fall into a deep slumber, they enjoyed walking together hand in hand ahead of us, chatting about how they enjoyed their time today._

"Thank you so much, Ian. The kids had so much fun today"  
 _I thank him as we walk in, other than the kids' excited babbles, a peaceful silence._

"Don't mention it, Goose. I just hope you and the kids enjoy yourselves on this trip. God only knows we all needed some stress-free time"  
 _He sighs._

"Yeah, especially Noah. The poor boy had a little too much these past years, he really needed to kick back for a little while"  
 _I answer him, looking at Noah who's contently listening to Lily chatting his ear off._

"And I do hope you'll like your surprise tomorrow"  
 _I turn to see Ian looking back at me, smirking._

"I hope so too, Shmian, but if I don't, then you'll have to deal Noah"  
 _I playfully threaten him._

"Oh, that just puts more pressure on the situation"  
 _Ian theatrically exclaims._

"Ian Harding is scared of a little boy"  
 _I baby-mock him._

"You take that back right now"  
 _He playfully threatens me._

"And what if I don't want to?"  
 _I challenge him, raising my perfectly plucked eyebrows._

"I'll make sure you regret ever saying it"

"Really? What are you gonna do, you little boy?"

"Noah! Your mommy isn't very nice to me"  
 _He calls out for Noah's attention. Oh, that little brat is using our son now?_

"That's not very nice, Momma"  
 _Noah shakes his little head at me._

"See? That's not very nice, Momma"  
 _Ian whispers in my ear, smirking as he thinks he got his way._

"Oh really? I'll show you now what's not nice, Harding"  
 _I whisper back into his ear before booing loudly and running for my life._

 _I laugh out loud at Ian's face when he finally realizes what just happened._

"You. Are. So. Gonna. Get. It"  
 _He calls after me, as he starts to run behind me trying to catch me._

 _I scream as I fasten my speed, but curse my legs, I'm not fast enough._  
 _Soon enough, Ian catches me, and tickles the hell out me. He keeps tickling me till I'm literally crying. The kids stopped walking and are just laughing at us._  
 _This truly is the happiest nights I had in years._

 **Next morning**

 _The minute we stepped into our rooms, we literally dropped like the dead._

 _Ian and I shared the bed,and the kids shared the sofa which was really big for the both of them._

 _Right now, it's 10:45 in the morning and we decided to go out for breakfast, instead of having it delivered to our villa._

"After breakfast, your surprise shall begin"  
 _Ian announces, and the kids nod their heads, so they must know what it is._

"Ok"  
 _I say, suspiciously._

 _After we've had breakfast, Ian takes us to the Children's Activity Centers where he says the kids will be staying for the day._

"Ian, what are we doing that the kids can't come with us? Are you sure that's a good idea? I mean, what if they need us? What if...?"

"Nothing will happen, Lucy. And I already gave them our numbers in case anything were to happen"  
 _Ian quickly cuts me off._

 _I deeply sigh before nodding at him._  
"Ok"

"They said that kids will enjoy games and activities while we enjoy some Disney grown-up fun, so shall we?"  
 _Ian says as soon as we drop the kids off._

"We shall"  
 _I say, holding his hand as he leads our way._

"Where are we going first?"  
 _I ask as I see him checking his phone for the time._

"We are going for a little walk. I don't wanna do rides when we just had our breakfast. I don't think it's a good idea to be flipped upside down with full stomach, don't you think?"  
 _He replies._

"No, I don't think it is"  
 _I answer, scrunching up my nose at the idea._

"That what I thought. Come on"

 _After our walk, we did a lot of rides. I think our throats will be sore for days, due to all the screaming we did. For the past couple of hours, I really enjoyed myself as Lucy. For a little while, I just threw caution to the wind, I forgot all the sorrow and troubles in my life. I just thought of right now where I decided to live the moment, even if it was just for a day._

"What are you thinking about?"  
 _Ian's voice cuts me off my thoughts._

"I'm happy. I believe I last felt this way was when Noah came into my life. Today I just felt like I'm Lucy again, so thank you for that, Ian. I really needed it"  
 _I say, hugging him._

"You're welcome, Luce. I'm really glad that you had fun, besides, I should be the one thanking you for the second chance with you and our son"  
 _He hugs me back, and kisses the top of my head._  
"Now, come on. We have to pick up the kids so we could go back to the villa so we could change"

"Change? Why? What are we doing next?"

" _I_ am gonna take you out for dinner, and you're gonna come with me, so _we_ are going out on a date"

 _I gasp at him._  
"Ian. That so much. I.. I... Thank you. Really"

"You're more than welcome, Luce. You know I love you, and there really nothing I wouldn't do for you to be happy"

"I am happy as long as I have you with me, Ian. And I love you too, I don't think I really ever stopped"  
 _I say before kissing him, showing him how much I love him, and how much I appreciate everything he's ever done for me._

 _After we pull away, Ian chuckles._  
"I'm glad I won't have to deal with Noah telling me off for not treating you as a queen"  
 _He exclaims._

"No, I don't think you'll have to"  
 _I chuckle._

 _Today has seriously been one of the happiest days of my life. Hopefully, there are more happy days to come for us._

* * *

 **A/N: hey, you guys. I hope you enjoyed this chapter. Things are looking up for Lucian. YAY!**  
 **Also I wanna say Happy New Year. May all your dreams come true this year.**  
 **Love you,**  
 **Kisses,**  
 **Esraa.**


	16. Chapter15- No Need To Worry

**Ian's POV:**

 _We've been back in LA for a month now after our trip to Disney Land. Everything is back to normal, well, sort of normal. Lucy and Noah are back at her apartment, and I'm here, all alone at my own apartment._

 _You see, after what's happened between me and Lucy, I never stepped foot in the house we'd previously shared, not even when I hired a moving company to pack some things from there into my current apartment. I had my best friend do that for me. That house just doesn't feel like home anymore, especially when all the promises we made in that house were once broken. I'd dreamed of having a family of my own in that house, so it just doesn't feel right to stay in it alone with no one to share with._

 _Anyways, I've been thinking a lot about asking Lucy and Noah to move in with me, I know you might think it's it's a little too soon, but I can't just fathom the idea of Lucy and Noah being away from me anymore. Yes, I see them a lot, whenever I want to, but it's not like them living with me though. I've been thinking of a way of how I would talk to Lucy about it. I also know that Noah is gonna be so happy to finally have both his parents living under the same roof, so that's why I've been trying to make sure that this is not only something rushed that I want, but it's also the right thing to do._

 _My thoughts get cut off by the ringing of my phone. I instantly smile as I recognize the ringtone I specified for Lucy._

"Hey"  
 _I greet her as soon as I pick up._

"Hey"  
 _She replies back, and even though I can't see her, I know she's nervous about something._

"What's wrong?"  
 _I ask worriedly._

"I.. uh, I kinda need a favor"  
 _She stutters._

"What kind of favor? Did something happen? Are you ok? Is Noah?  
 _I frantically ask her as I start pacing around the living room._

"Calm down, Shmian. We're both just fine. Well, you see, I kind of have a problem with the plumbing system, and Noah and I kinda need a place to stay for a while, just a couple of days till the work is done in here. So I was kinda wondering if we could stay with you? It's ok if you can't have us, I could always call Annie and..."  
 _She explains._

 _She rambles on before I cut her off._  
"Of course there's no need for you to call Annie, Luce. You're both more than welcome to stay here with me, for as long as you want"  
 _I assure her._

"Really? Are you sure it won't be a bother for you? I don't want you to feel obliged to take us in"

"Would you just stop babbling nonsense and just start packing already? I'm on my way to pick you up"  
 _I chuckle at her nervousness._

"Thank you so much, Shmian. I owe you, big time"  
 _She loudly sighs in relief._

"No need to thank me, Luce. You know you're always welcome here"

 **Thirty minutes later.**

"Daddy!"  
 _Noah exclaims as he throws himself at me. I'm always happy with the way Noah greets me, he always makes me feel so special to him and wanted. After everything that's happened with us, he's proven to have a really big forgiving heart._

"Hey, buddy. Are you guys all ready yet?"  
 _I ask him as I carry him further into the apartment._

"You know how much time Momma takes to pack, Daddy. Do you really think she's already done packing?"  
 _I chuckle at his reasonable answer, I mean, Lucy does take a loong time to decide what she "should" put into her purse going out, let alone, a suitcase._

"You know what? Dumb question. Are _you_ ready then?"  
 _I ask him, as I can hear Lucy talking to herself in her bedroom, contemplating how many pajamas she should pack._

"It only took me ten minutes to pack my suitcase. I don't know whether it was because I was too excited or because us boys don't take as much time to pack as girls?"  
 _He shrugs._

"Alright, so just let me see how much longer you mother is going to take, while you get the dogs ready, ok?"  
 _I tell him, putting him down on his feet._

"Daddy, please tell her to hurry up. I already packed the bags for the dogs, and Momma still hasn't finished yet"  
 _He whines._

"Ok. Ok. I'm going to do my best. You just make sure we didn't forget anything"  
 _I tell him, ruffling his hair before making my way towards Lucy's bedroom._

 _I find her standing in the middle of the room, huffing and defeatedly running her hand through her hair._

"You know you're not leaving the country, right?"  
 _I ask, startling her, as I observe the three suitcases lying open on the bed._

 _She yelps, turning around to face me while her right hand flies over her chest._

"God, Ian. You scared the shit outta me. I didn't know you were already here"  
 _She says, trying to get her heartbeats normal again._

"Would it have made a difference if you have? I mean, would you have finished packing sooner?"  
 _I smirk at her, knowing that me being here early or late, wouldn't make much difference to her packing._

"Well, I certainly wouldn't have nearly had a heart attack upon hearing a male voice with me in the room"  
 _She argues._

"I guess you're right. I'm sorry for startling you, and disturbing this process"  
 _I apologize as I step closer to her, holding her in my arms._

"Well, you _did_ startle me. I was _so scared_. Maybe you should make it up to me?"  
 _She gives me a sly smile._

"Oh. I guess I better fix it right now, otherwise, I don't think I would ever be able to forgive myself for scaring my princess, would I?"  
 _I state, inching my face closer to her._

"I really _really_ think you should"  
 _She whispers right before I crash my lips onto hers._

 _Seconds later, before it gets too heated, we both pull away breathless, in need of oxygen, but both our heads shoot to the door where a very impatient Noah is standing stomping his feet with his arms crossed over his chest._

"I can't believe I asked you, Daddy, to rush her. I should have know that you would only make her take even longer"  
 _He shakes his head._

"I'm sorry, buddy, but I just had to greet her when I got in"  
 _I lamely give him an excuse that I just hope he would accept._

 _I hear Lucy trying to stifle a laugh at my lame excuse._

"Really? You really had to greet her by kissing her that way? What happened to the simple hello? Please, just hurry up already. I'm bored just sitting around doing nothing"  
 _He orders before leaving us on our own._

"Sometime, I think he's the parent in this family, not us"  
 _I mumble into Lucy's hair as soon as Noah leaves the room._

 _Lucy chuckles before pecking my lips, and going back to her suitcases._

"How soon do you think this problem would be fixed?"  
 _I ask her, talking about the plumbing issue._

"Why? Are you already that bored with us that you're worried we'd outstay our welcome?"  
 _She smirkily, yet nervously asks._

"Yeah. That's just it. I just got here less than an hour ago, and I'm already pulling at my hair"  
 _I playfully tell her, acting as if I'm already pulling at my hair._  
"But seriously though. There's something that I've been thinking about for a while that I wanted to talk to you about"  
 _I start off._

"What is it?"  
 _She furrows her eyebrows._

"Well, ..."  
 _I'm cut off by Noah loudly shouting._

"MOMMA! ARE WE EVEN GONNA GO BEFORE THE END OF THIS CENTURY OR WHAT?"

"I think I'll just wait for tonight, after bedtime to ask you then"  
 _I chuckle._

"I guess that's a good idea. But everything is ok though, right?"

"Only if you say yes to my question"  
 _I smirk at her._

"Why do I get the feeling that I'm walking right into a trap?"  
 _She asks, looking at me in suspicion._

"With me? Never"  
 _I slyly say before leaving the room._

 **Three hours later**  
 **Lucy's POV:**  
 _We've been here for two hours. You know what's almost as boring as packing? It's unpacking. I've been unpacking these suitcases of mine for hours now, and I'm pretty certain I've already forgotten where I put everything._

 _Noah ran right into his room as soon as Ian unlocked the door to the apartment. Ian and I, on the other hand, we had to struggle with dragging the suitcases into the apartment, although Noah, thankfully, had the decency to take care of bringing the dogs in._

"I wonder what's got Noah into such a rush"  
 _I think out loud._

"Boys will be boys"  
 _Ian mumbles, coming behind me, and engulfing me into his warm arms._

"True"  
 _I contently sigh._

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Oh, come on, Ian. Like you don't know what I mean? He's just like you, when you both get excited about something, you immediately become impatient. You always feel the need to rush into the things you're most excited about"  
 _I explain._

"Really now? Only me and Noah? I admit that whenever something or _someone_ excites me, I get all worked up and eager to get them, but it's not only me or Noah, is it?"  
 _He tries to turn the tables._

"What are you implying, Harding? That I'm impatient? Just like you both are?"  
 _I ask him._

"Well, you literally used to wake me up at six in the morning on Halloween just to try on our costumes, that you always managed to pick all by yourself, so if God forbidden there's something wrong with them, there'd be time to fix it, _or_ change them all together. And remember the day you decided that it was "The best time" to tell me I was going to be a first-time father?"  
 _He elaborates._

"How could I ever forget? That was one of the happiest days of my life"  
 _I tell him, smiling dreamily at the memory._

"Mine too"  
 _Ian agrees._

"What is?"

 _We both turn around to find Noah standing in line with the dogs, all four of them._

"Come here, baby. There's a story you need to hear"  
 _I tell him as we lol make our way to the couch._

 _Ian sits down and I sit right by his side, holding Noah up onto my lap._

"What story?"  
 _Noah asks as soon as he settles comfortably on me._

"The story about when I told your daddy that I had you in my belly"

 ****Flashback****

 _Today, I'm planning on surprising Ian with the news I've been withholding for almost a week now._  
 _I intend on tiring him out by going out to the mall where I "need to shop" for new clothes, as in reality, I just need to go into the photo booth where I plan on dropping the bomb._

 _"Do I really have to go shopping? Why can't you just take Maggie? I'm pretty sure she'd just race you to the mall already. You two are really addicts to shopping sprees"_  
 _Ian whines._

 _"I can't take Maggie because I have a surprise only for you there, at the mall, plus, I want to have a photo shoot with you so we could send the photos to our family afterwards, to show them what the surprise was"_  
 _I answer him while trying to secretly snuggle the main part of the surprise into my purse._

 _"And what's the surprise, may I ask?"_  
 _He asks, folding his arms onto his chest._

 _"What do you think it would be if I told you what it is?"_  
 _I turn around, raising my eyebrows at him._

 _"Just a hint, please"_

 _"Well, I'm gonna give you something that's a symbol for another something you've always dreamed of having but never really had before"_

 _"You're giving me these keys to this vintage car I've always wanted?"_  
 _He asks, hopefully._

 _"Hm, why didn't I think of that? But no, it's even better"_

 _"What's better than this, Luce? Come on, please, give me another hint. Please, please"_  
 _He sticks his bottom lip out in a pout, mimicking me whenever I don't get what I want._

 _"We can go now so you could find out, or we could just stay in here all day to find out if you could guess what it is"_  
 _I challenge him._

 _"Ok ok, but it'd better be worth it, otherwise, I'm gonna make you wish you didn't drag me all the way there to the mall to embarrass yourself"_  
 _He playfully warns me._

 _"Come on you goof"_  
 _I chuckle, linking my arm in his as we walk out of the house._

 ** _Later, at the photo booth_**

 _"We've been going around for two hours now, and you still haven't told me anything"_  
 _Ian whines, once again._

 _"Would you just stop whining for only a minute and go inside the booth with me?"_  
 _I sternly scold him like a mother does to her child._

 _"Fine, mom"_  
 _Ian huffs, going inside._

 _I get in right after him, and slide beside him._  
 _"Now hold this frame down for now, but don't you dare read it now, and don't forget to smile widely"_  
 _I order him, handing him the DIY I made for the surprise._

 _"How can it be my surprise, and yet, I don't get to see it?"_

 _"It's gonna be a sequel. First you're gonna smile widely for the first picture, and for the second one, you'll hold up the frame and act surprised. Understood?"_

 _"Do I really have a choice to even ask another question? Alright, let's get this started"_  
 _He says as he holds down the frame with one hand on his lap while his other arm is wrapped around my shoulder._

 _"Ready?"_  
 _I ask him after I set the timer in front of me, anxious for his reaction._

 _"As I'll ever be"_  
 _He answers._

 _"One. Two. Three... Cheese"_  
 _I say just before the first picture is snapped._

 _"Hold up the frame quickly. Act surprised"_  
 _I order in a hurry._  
 _Ian immediately does as told while I point to my belly, acting surprised as well._  
 _As soon as the picture is taken, I turn my head to kiss Ian while other pictures of us are being snapped in sequence._

 _"So what is the surprise?"_  
 _Ian asks as soon as we pull apart._

 _"Turn the frame around and see for yourself"_

 _I watch as he turns the frame around suspiciously, as if something is to jump at him at any given second._

 _"What's this?"_  
 _He asks, although I know he knows what it means, I think he just wants me to confirm it._

 _On the frame there's an ultrasound picture of our first baby, and above it, there's a simple question; "Do you think you're too busy for me?"_

 _"We're gonna have a baby"_  
 _I tearfully tell him, watching his pretty blue eyes brimming with tears._

 _"Really? You're not playing me, are you?"_

 _"I promise you, I'm not playing you"_

 _"Really, really? Like this is for real, right? This isn't some kind of joke, is it? We're... I mean, I ... You..."_

 _I chuckle at his shock as I hold his head in both my hands to make him look into my eyes._

 _"Ian, this is not a joke. We are having a baby, a real actual baby. We're starting our own little family, babe. Now, I need you to breathe for me, ok?"_  
 _I tell him, and he tries to take a deep breath while his eyes are just focusing on mine._

 _After he's calmed down a bit, he looks down at my stomach and then back into my eyes._

 _"There's a baby growing inside of you right now"_  
 _He states, but I know he want the confirmation one more time._

 _"Ian, I swear to God, I'm pregnant. There's a baby in my belly, and they're comfortably growing in there right this second"_  
 _I assure him, and that's when the realization really, I mean, really hits him._

 _"Oh My God! I love you, Luce. I fu**** love you, and our baby too. I love you both, and right now, I'm the luckiest person on this planet, no, in this whole universe and beyond. This is the best surprise I've ever had. Thank you. Thank you. Thank you"_  
 _Ian rambles before wrapping his arms tightly around me._

 ****End of flashback****

"Wow! You were really happy then, weren't you?"  
 _Noah asks us both._

"We were so happy that we couldn't wait till we got out of the booth to video call your grandparents, we actually called them while still inside"  
 _Ian tells him._

"Yeah, I called you grandma Julie, while your dad called Mary"  
 _I add._

"What happened then? I know grandma Julie screams when she gets excited"  
 _Noah says._

"And that exactly what they both did, honey"  
 _I chuckle, remembering exactly what happened like it was just yesterday._

 ****Flashback****

 _I hold my phone in front of me and Ian, calling Momma while Ian is doing the same with his phone, calling his mom._

 _"What do you think their reaction would be at first?"_  
 _Ian asks me as we're waiting for either of them to pick up first._

 _"My mom is gonna scream "Oh My Lord!" That's for sure"_  
 _I smile as I imagine Momma jumping up and down around the kitchen screaming like a headless chicken._

 _"I think my mom is gonna be, at least, twice as shocked as I was"_  
 _Ian says just before our moms pick up at the same moment._

 _"Hey, Momma, Mary"_

 _"Hi!" "Hey!"_

 _"Hey, guys"_  
 _Ian greets them._

 _"Mary, are you on the phone too?"_  
 _Momma asks, so I turn my phone sideways so she would, somehow, be able to see Mary on Ian's phone screen._

 _"Hey, Julie. Nice to, somehow, see you"_  
 _Mary says._

 _"Lucy, please, tell me, are you happy right now?"_  
 _That's... Weird._

 _"Yes, Momma, I am. But why do you ask?"_

 _"Ian, you're happy too, right?"_  
 _She asks again._

 _What's gotten into her?_

 _"Yes, Julie, I'm more than happy"_  
 _Ian answers her before looking at me, smiling that goofy smile of his._

 _"Mary, I think I know what this call is for, do you?"_

 _"God, I hope it's true, Julie"_  
 _Mary replies, already tearing up._

 _Is it possible that they already know? But how? The only person beside me who knows is Ian who I just told just minutes ago._

 _"Lucy, baby, look at me"_  
 _Momma tells me, so I turn the phone to look at her._

 _"You're pregnant, aren't you?"_  
 _She asks as if she already knows the answer to her question._

 _I nod my head at her, suddenly not trusting my voice to speak the words._  
 _"How did you know? I literally just told Ian"_

 _"Oh My Lord! Oh My Lord! Oh My Lord! Oh baby girl, it just shows on your face, the glow, the smile that you can't wipe off your face, besides, it's the only good news that would get you both to call me_ ** _and_** _Mary at the same time"_  
 _She explains._

 _"Oh thank God! Ian, Lucy. I'm so happy for you both, and thank you for giving us our first grandchild"_  
 _Mary tearfully smiles on the screen._

 _Ian and I look into each other's eyes and smile. "We're having a baby"_

 ****End of flashback****

"Auntie Maggie once told me that when you told her about having a baby, she almost choked while drinking. She only told me because Lily tried to scare me while I was holding a glass of milk, about to drink from it"  
 _Noah tells us, looking up at me._

"Yeah. Never try to tell anybody any kind of big news while they're drinking, eating, driving or even holding fragile things, especially babies. I learned that the hard way"  
 _I agree with him._

 ****Flashback****

 _It's been two days since I've told Ian and we shared the news with our moms, and today, I decided to tell Maggie when she comes over for a visit with Lily whereas Ian is out for lunch with Sarah where he plans to tell her the big news._

 _"Auntie Lu, we're here!"_  
 _I hear Lily calling out for me after her and Maggie let themselves in._

 _"In the kitchen"_  
 _I let them know._

 _"Hey!"_

 _"Wow! You guys are a match today"_  
 _I say as I notice their matching outfits. They're both wearing white long sleeve t-shirts, dark washed jeans, maroon beanies and scarfs, dark red coats, and brown knee-long boots._

 _"It's our Mommy and Lily day today, and we decided to spend it with you and uncle Ian"_  
 _Lily gladly states._

 _"I'm sorry, baby, but he has other plans today with his sister; Sarah. Had he known you wanted him to stay, he would've definitely stayed"_  
 _I apologize to her._

 _"It's ok. We can have girls' day till he gets back"_  
 _She shrugs her shoulders nonchalantly._

 _"But I have some news to share with you two"_

 _"What kind of news?"_  
 _Maggie asks, knotting her eyebrows in confusion._

 _"I have something to give you, but first, I need to borrow Lily for a minute. Would you like to help me with the surprise, Lily?"_  
 _I look at her, waiting for her enthusiastic reply, which, I know, is going to be 'yes'._

 _"You bet I would"_  
 _She nods her head while dragging me out of the kitchen._

 _"Help yourself to anything in the kitchen, Mag. It's gonna be a while"_  
 _I call over my shoulder, laughing at Lily's enthusiasm for the surprise I have for them._

 _We walk into my bedroom where I told Lily their surprise is._

 _"So? Where is it?"_  
 _She asks, looking around the room, inspecting the place._

 _"Well, I have matching shirts for you and your Mommy, and I got myself one too, but it's a little different to yours"_  
 _I tell her as I take the bag with shirts in it, out of the closet._

 _"That's the surprise?"_  
 _She asks, watching my every move as I pull her shirt first out of the bag, and hand it to her._

 _"Here you are. Unfold it"_  
 _I tell her._

 _She unfolds the shirt then looks up at me._

 _"What does it say?"_

 _"It says '#1 Cousin' do you like it?"_  
 _I ask her._

 _"It's really pretty, but I ain't a cousin"_  
 _She shakes her head, looking back down at the shirt in her hand._

 _"But that's the surprise. You're gonna be a big cousin, and you're gonna be the best of them"_  
 _I tell her._

 _"How?"_  
 _She tucks her hair behind ear with one hand while holding up the shirt over her body to inspect it in the mirror._

 _"Well, you see. In just few short months, you're gonna have a baby cousin because right this second, there's a tiny little baby in my tummy"_

 _I watch as her jaw nearly hit the floor._

 _"You have a baby in your belly?"_  
 _I nod at her question._

 _"You ate a baby?"_  
 _I laugh out loud at her innocence._

 _"No, honey. I most definitely didn't eat a baby"_

 _"Well then, how did the baby go inside your tummy?"_  
 _She knots her eyebrows in confusion._

 _"That question is for your Momma to answer, not me. Now, tell me. Are you happy about your baby cousin or not?"_

 _"I still can't see it yet"_

 _"Well, it's because the baby is in my tummy, silly, besides, he or she is at the size of a little peanut right now. Wanna see a picture?"_

 _"Yeah"_  
 _She nods her head vigorously._

 _I pull out the sonogram picture out of my back pocket and carefully hold it out for her to see._

 _"Where's the baby?"_  
 _She asks, concentrating on the picture in my hand, in search for that said baby._

 _"You see that little bean-like blob here in the middle?"_  
 _I point where apparently the baby is shown in the picture._

 _She nods._

 _"Well, that's the tiny baby in here"_  
 _I tell her putting my hand on my stomach._

 _"Wow! It's so tiny"_

 _"Yeah. He or she will keep growing and growing in my tummy till it's time for them to come live with us"_

 _"How long do we have to wait for?"_

 _"A little over seven months. Don't worry, when the time comes, I'll let you know, so you'll be ready, deal?"_  
 _I say, extending my hand for her to shake._

 _"Deal. I can't wait to see how the baby gets thiiis big"_  
 _She opens up her arms really wide to show how big she wants the baby to be._

 _"I can't wait till we meet them either, Lilz. Now, how about you wear this shirt while I put mine on as well? We need to tell your Momma this big news"_

 _I pull my shirt out of the bag, and unfold it for her to see the picture I had printed on it. It's the one I had with Ian the other day in which he's holding up the framed sonogram picture._

 _"I'm gonna surprise her too, but Momma doesn't like surprises though. She always tells daddy that doesn't know what to do when someone surprises her"_  
 _She says, while I help her put her shirt on._

 _"Well, I'm sure she's gonna love this one, honey"_  
 _I tell her as I put mine on with a coat on top to cover it while we ease ourselves into the kitchen._

 _"Ready?"_  
 _She asks me._

 _"I think so"_  
 _I take a deep breath as we walk into the kitchen._

 _"Hey! I was about to head upstairs to see what's holding you two up. What took you so long?"_  
 _Maggie asks as she holds up the coffee cup to her mouth, taking a sip._

 _I was about to speak up when Lily beats me to it._

 _"Momma, how did my baby cousin get into auntie Lu's tummy?"_

 _Maggie chokes on her coffee at Lily's question. God, this girl doesn't even know how surprising people works._  
 _I watch as Maggie gasps for air, while I fill a glass of water for her._

 _"Did you guys talk about babies for some unknown reason, or did you KAREN LUCILLE HALE tell my daughter that you're actually having a baby?"_

 _I just hold her gaze while I open up my coat. I watch as Maggie lowers her gaze to my shirt, and I can see tears are already forming in her eyes._

 _"You're.. You're pregnant?"_  
 _She whispers._

 _"I'm gonna be a big cousin, Momma. Surprise!"_  
 _I'm cut off, once again, by my little niece who's jumping up and down in circles in the middle of the kitchen. But I'm still observing Maggie who still hasn't said much._

 _"Mag..."_

 _"My baby sister is having a baby?"_  
 _She asks again._

 _"You're gonna be an auntie, Mag"_  
 _I tearfully nod at her._

 _And in one short second, I'm engulfed in a really tight, yet, comforting embrace._

 _"Oh My God! We're having a baby in the family"_  
 _Maggie screams in my ear before pulling away._  
 _"When did you find out? Does Momma know? Does Ian know? Of course he does, I just saw the picture. How are you feeling?"_  
 _Maggie bombards me with questions._

 _"I'm fine, Maggie. I found out a little over a week ago. I told Ian, Momma, and Mary two days ago"_

 _"Momma has known for two days, and didn't tell me?"_  
 _She gasps._

 _"Well, I told her that I would tell you the next day, but then you two cancelled on me, so I decided to just wait for when you two come to visit me next"_  
 _I explain._  
 _"But here, this shirt is for you"_  
 _I hand it to her, and watch as she reads what written across the shirt._  
 _'Best sister gets promoted to #1 Auntie'_

 _"Ian has the same one for Sarah too"_

 _"Aww! This is the best girls' day we have ever had, Lily, isn't it?"_  
 _Maggie exclaims, already putting her shirt on, just like me and Lily._

 _"Of course, Momma"_  
 _Lily agrees._

 ****End of flashback****

"I'm hungry"  
 _Noah exclaims, apparently done listening to the story._

 _As if on cue, my stomach grumbles._

"Did you guys even have breakfast this morning?"  
 _Ian asks, getting up, probably to fix us something to eat._

"I did, but I'm hungry now though"  
 _Noah answers as he follows behind._

"Alright. Did _you_?"  
 _Ian asks, looking me in the eye._

"Yes" "No"  
 _My voice clashes with Noah's._

"Well, one of you is lying"  
 _He pauses before looking between me and Noah._  
"And I'm pretty sure I know who it is"

"It's not me"  
 _Noah whispers to him, yet I can him clearly._

"I know"  
 _Ian replies, looking in my direction._  
"Now, come on. Take-out or do you want a home-cooked meal?"

 **Later that night.**  
 **Ian's POV:**  
 _Noah has been asleep for an hour now. Lucy and I are just cuddling on the couch, enjoying a peaceful night, watching an old movie on tv._  
 _I wouldn't lie and say that I'm enjoying the movie, because I've probably missed most of it due to zoning out, and being nervous about asking Lucy what I've been thinking about for a while now._

"You're tense. What's wrong?"  
 _Lucy asks, shifts slightly and tilts her head back to look up at me._

"N-nothing"

"Really? Why don't I buy that?"  
 _She sits straight up, looking me dead in the eye._

 _I huff, as I shift on the couch so I'm facing her._

"Ian, what is it? Is it something to do with what you said you wanted to ask me earlier?"

"Kind of. I mean, yes"  
 _Just blurt it out already, Ian._

"I would agree, just blurt it out already"

"Did I say that out loud?"

"Yeah, you did"  
 _Damn it._

"I heard that too"  
 _She smirkily says._

"Ok, alright. I'll just go ahead and ask, but you have to know that I've been thinking about it for a very long time, and I can guarantee you that it's not rushed or..."  
 _I say before she cuts me off._

"Just say it already, Ian"  
 _She frustratingly demand._

"Move in with me"  
 _Huh. It's finally out. Almost for a second, I feel relieved, but then I realize Lucy still hasn't replied._

 _I watch as her mouth hangs open, her eyes widen, and her breath hitches._

 _After what feels like forever, she finally utters one word._

"What?"  
 _Ok, not the answer I was waiting for._

"Luce, we've known each other for years, we were married once for God's sake. We've already been on our second first date, _and_ things have been going well, more than great, between us since we agreed to work this through. I don't really see a reason why we shouldn't live together..."

"I never said no..."  
 _She cuts me off, but I'm too much of a rambler to notice what she said._

"...because wouldn't it be great if we just live together, for us to be happier, and wouldn't be less complicated or confusing to all of us, including Noah? Just think..."  
 _She cuts me off again, but this time, she cuts me off with her soft lips on mine, not with words._

 _After, God only knows how long, we slowly pull away._

"I would be honored, no, _we_ would be honored to live with you, Ian. I know we've been away from each other for years, but I know that we'll both try and work things out together, as if we've never been apart"  
 _She says._

 _I give out a sigh of relief._

"Why do you seem like you've been holding your breath on this?"  
 _Lucy asks._

"Probably because I've been. I've been really nervous about asking you to move in with me. I was afraid you wouldn't wanna do it so soon, or at all"  
 _I nervously reply._

"You thought I would tell you no?"

"Honestly? I thought you would just be scared off. I mean, who wouldn't be scared if _I_ asked them for a do over?"

"People would be, but not me. I've known you for years, Ian, I've known you as the best friend, boyfriend, the loving husband, _and_ the caring father. I know, for a fact, that you would always try to make everyone happy that, you, sometimes, would forget about yourself. So, I don't ever wanna hear you say or know that you ever doubt yourself, for even one second. You're a really wonderful person, Ian Michael Harding, and don't you ever forget that"

"One thing I'm most certain of, is that I'm one lucky man to have met you all these years ago, Karen Lucille Hale"

"I still have that feeling though"  
 _She smirkily tells me._

"What feeling?"  
 _I ask her, as I tuck some of her hair behind her ear._

"That I'm walking right into a trap"  
 _She replies._

"With me? Never"  
 _I slyly tell her before crashing my lips onto hers._

* * *

 ** _A/N: There it is, the newest chapter. Sorry, it's taken so long already. I hope you liked it. P_** **lease let me know what you thought of this chapter.**

 ** _Kisses,_**  
 ** _Esraa._**


	17. Chapter16- We're Home!

**Lucy's POV:**

 _Three weeks. That's how long Ian and I have been keeping the secret of our decision to move in together from Noah as a surprise for him. Being the smart kid he is, he didn't miss any of our whispers and hints we've been giving him, but he still has no idea what we're planning though._

"Mommy"

"Yeah?"

 _I turn sideways to look at Noah, giving me his signature pouty puppy look._

"I'm bored"

"Oh? I thought you were having fun running around the place with the dogs, and flipping everything upside down?"

 _I ask him, watching him flop down on the couch next to me._

"I was, but now I'm out of fun things to do around here, besides, the dogs are bored too. They love going out for walks, you know"

"What are you implying, Noah?"

 _I chuckle at his cuteness, subtly asking to go out._

"Can we go to the near park, Momma? We could use some fresh air, and the dogs could go run around and have fun too"

 _He suggests._

"Why not? But I think maybe we should wait for your father first, honey. I think walking four dogs would be a little too much for the both of us on our own"

"So we're going out?"

 _He asks as his face lights up in excitement._

"Yes, I guess we are, buddy"

"Momma?"

 _Noah says as he sits up straight, nervously looking at me._

"What is it, Noah? Already changed your mind or what?"

"No, but..."

 _He sighs before continuing._

"Are we going home soon?"

"Why do you ask? You already wanna go back to our place? I thought you liked it here"

 _Please, let it not be the case, or else the surprise is goodbye gone._

"I do like it. That's why I'm asking, Momma. I don't wanna go back there"

 _He lets me know._

"Noah, come here, baby"

 _I tell him, opening my arms for him to sit on my lap._

 _He scampers across the couch and onto my lap, and rests his head on my chest._

"Do you wanna come live with your Daddy, honey? Is that what you want?"

 _I ask him before kissing the top of his head, feeling him shaking it 'no'_

"No, Momma. I want **us** both to come live here with Daddy. I feel bad every time we have to leave him on his own. He must feel lonely whenever he comes back to his place with no one to live with"

"Are you absolutely certain that that's what you really want, honey? Or do you just wanna do it for Daddy?"

 _I ask him, trying my hardest not to give away any hints of what Ian nod I agreed to do._

"Ahmm"

 _He nods in confirmation._

"I'm sure. It would be really nice to finally be living together in the same house, just the three of us, and of course, the dogs"

 _He adds on._

"But what about Daddy? Do you think he's ready to have us live with him? Do you think he would be ok with that?"

 _Now, that question is not only for Noah, but it's also what I'm asking myself too._

"Why wouldn't he be, Momma? I think Daddy is trying so hard to make us happy, and keep us safe, so it's only fair to Daddy if we do the same for him. I don't want him to feel left out or unloved, Momma"

 _He says._

"You have such a big heart, Noah, you know that?"

 _I tell him._

"Thank you, Momma. Grandma Julie always told me that I'm kind just like you and Daddy. And I can see it too now that I'm living with both of you"

 _He tells me before tilting his head up to kiss me on the cheek._

"Doesn't Daddy get to have one of those kisses too?"

 _We're both startled by Ian's voice from behind us._

"How long have you been standing there? We didn't hear the door opening, or closing either"

 _I ask him, watching as he takes off his coat and hangs it by the door._

"Long enough to know you were talking about me behind my back"

 _He answers, feigning feeling betrayed, as he takes a seat next to us on the couch._

 _The dogs immediately run up to him, asking for attention, like always._

"You were eavesdropping?"

 _I playfully gasp at his reply._

"That's not a good thing to do, Daddy"

 _Noah goes along with my act as he shakes his head at Ian._

"Is that so? I also thought that talking behind people's backs is also not a good deed"

 _Ian challenges us._

"But we weren't talking bad about you, Daddy, right, Momma?"

"Hmm. That was just between us, Noah. Daddy doesn't have to know everything we say to each other"

 _I tease Ian, avoiding his eyes that are piercing through me right now._

"Really?"

 _He asks in amusement._

"But I have my ways of getting answers out of you, Goose"

Ian says, sliding across the couch, closer to where I'm sitting with Noah still on my lap, and I'm pretty certain where he's going with this.

"Um, I don't think there's anything you could do that would make me spill our secrets, right, Noah?"

 _I smirk at Ian who's now dangerously close to us, waiting for the moment he would make his move._

 _I watch as he's about to talk back but gets interrupted by Bailey's loud bark. Ian chuckles before giving him his attention and patting him on the head, to which Bailey responds by licking him all over._

"Hey, where's Mochi? She's usually the one who jumps on me the second I open the door"

 _Ian asks, and that's when we notice Mochi's unusual absence._

"I don't think I've seen much of her today, either, except for this morning, when I fed her, but she wouldn't even lift her head to acknowledge me"

 _I say as I recall the strange behavior this morning._

"She's being a lazy butt today. She wouldn't play with us, and when I tried to get her out of bed, she barked at me, which really scared me, Daddy"

 _Noah shakes his head in disappointment._

 _I share a knowing look with Ian, as we both know that it's out of character for Mochi to be lazy or even scare Noah like that._

"I'm gonna go see what's wrong with her. I'll be right back"

 _Ian announces, getting up, but I pull him back down._

"You just came home. Let me go see her. I think she would just need some girl talk"

 _I try to lighten the mood as to not let Noah get worried._

"Ok, let me know if you need anything. I'll just order take out if you're both up for it"

 _Ian reluctantly gives in. He pulls Noah off my lap into his._

"Anything is fine by me"

 _I tell him, already making my way to where Mochi is still resting._

"How about pizza?"

 _I hear Noah suggest. I swear that kid could just live on pizza for the rest of his life, just like his pizza-addicted dad._

"Pizza it is"

 _Ian's enthusiasm further confirms my point._

 _I walk to the small area at Ian's apartment where we managed to squeeze all the dogs' beds into. I instantly see Mochi curled up on her bed, quietly whining and slightly panting, and I also notice that her food wasn't even touched._

 _As soon as approach her, she barks at me, looking like she's protecting something._

"Hey"

 _I say quietly as to not frighten her. I know she isn't gonna hurt me, but I can't help but feel confused by why she would feel threatened by any of us. This seems to work as she lowers her head again on the bed, back to whining._

"Are you ok, Mooch? What's wrong?"

 _I ask her as I slowly and gently stroke her head._

"Why didn't you eat your breakfast? Are you going on a diet or something?"

 _I chuckle at her, but she barely even gives me any reaction._

 _I scoop some of her food into my hand, trying to get her to eat, but she only sniffs it before looking the other way._

"Are you not feeling ok, Mochi Poochi?"

 _I ask again, using my neckname for her while scratching behind her ear, just the way she likes it._

 _Before I do anything else, I watch as Bailey comes to her and starts sniffing her belly, which I now notice is slightly swollen, while excitedly wagging his tail._

 _No! What..? No! Could it possibly be? Oh My God! How could we have not noticed this before? Ian is so gonna freak out by this if what I think is true._

 _I stand up, watching the beautiful scene in front of me before I walk back to the living room where Ian and Noah are currently still sitting, talking about God knows what._

"Hey, is she ok?"

 _Ian asks as soon as he notices me walking back into the room._

"I think we need to take her to the vet. I think I know what's with her, but I'd like to make sure first before getting fussed about it"

 _I answer him, trying my hardest not to smile as I imagine Ian's reaction to this news._

"Why is she so grouchy, Momma? Is she sick?"

 _Noah asks as he walks up to me. I look into his eyes and watch his disappointment in her change into concern._

"Well, she's either that, or she's..."

 _I pause for a minute before looking Ian in the eye._

" **Pregnant** "

 _I watch as Ian's jaw almost touches the floor._

"What?! BAILEY!"

 _Ian gasps._

 _Bailey immediately comes running to a very stunned Ian, stopping at his feet, and looking up at him._

 _I watch as Ian looks down at Bailey, trying to process what I just told him._

"Did you do this, Bailey? Did you get Mochi pregnant?"

 _Ian asks him, almost looking like he's accusing him of murder._

"Daddy, why are you mad at him?"

 _Noah rushes to Bailey's rescue._

"I-I'm not mad. I'm just surprised, that's all"

 _Ian stutters, clearly still in shock._

 _Feeling reprimanded, Bailey hangs his head before rubbing it against Ian's leg, almost as if asking for forgiveness for whatever Ian is blaming him for._

 _Ian bends down so he's at eye level with Bailey._

"Hey, Bailz. I'm sorry I raised my voice at you. I just can't believe you're gonna be a daddy, buddy. You must be really excited, aren't you?"

 _I watch as Ian apologizes to Bailey while patting his back, which makes Bailey really happy for getting the desired attention._

"So that means we're getting more puppies?"

 _Noah asks with such excitement in his eyes._

"The only way to make sure is to go to the Vet's so he could confirm it, honey"

 _More puppies is definitely not something we needed right now. I mean, having four dogs is pretty handful as it is right now._

"I can't believe this could be happening"

 _Ian speaks just louder than a whisper, sitting back down on the couch._

"Aren't you happy?"

 _I go sit next to him._

"I am. I just still can't believe my baby girl is having babies of her own. I mean, how could I have not seen this sooner? Bailey must be really thrilled now, isn't he?"

"You should've seen how he so very proudly showed me her belly. He was like 'look! I did this'. You're gonna be a grandpa, old man"

 _I tease him._

"Huh! Look who's talking, Grandma"

 _He snickers back._

"And I'm gonna be an uncle"

 _Noah exclaims excitedly, running out of the room, probably going to where Mochi is sleeping._

"Are you ready for this, Ian? God only knows how many more puppies we're gonna get out of this"

 _I ask as soon as Noah is out of the room._

"I just hope they're all healthy, and Mochi isn't too tired by the end of it"

 _Ian answers, giving me a forced tight smile._

"Hey! What's wrong? I knew you'd definitely freak out once I told you, but I never thought you'd just seem... not excited"

 _What's with the sudden change of mood?_

"I just.. I just don't want anything to happen to her"

 _Ian sighs, and I can clearly see that he's on the verge of tears._

 _What on earth is he on about?_

"Ian? What are you talking about? Of course nothing is gonna happen to Mochi. Where is this all coming from?"

"I mean, what if she feels ill all of the sudden,and I'm not there for her? What if it's not healthy for her to get pregnant? I mean, she's even already too tired to greet me at the door like she usually does"

 _Ian buries his face in his hands, hiding the fact that he's already started crying._

"Ian, is this about what happened with us when we had Noah?"

 _I ask him as I peel his hands off his face to make him look at me._

"N-no. It's...it's nothing. Really, I don't know what came over me. I'm just still in shock, I guess"

 _I just let that awful lie slide for now as I watch him get off the couch to answer the door, probably the delivery guy. Plus, we can't really discuss this when Noah can pop back into the room at any second._

 _I sigh, getting myself off the couch as well. I call out for Noah to wash up and come set the table with me._

 _As we're all sitting at the table, I notice Ian poking around his plate. He hasn't even touched his first slice of pizza, which is not usual for him. That man LOVES pizza, and he would eat it anytime of day and night, but looks like today is not one of those days._

"Noah, baby, are you done?"

 _I watch him wipe his face with a napkin before nodding his little head._

"Yeah, Momma. That was the best pizza I've ever eaten. Thank the Lord for such a blessing"

 _He says, batting his full stomach._

"Good. Now go put some warmer clothes on cause we're going out"

 _I tell him, and watch his face light up while giving me a megawatt smile._

"We're still going out? Can we go to the park, Momma, please?"

 _He gives me the pouty lips and puppy dog eyes that I can never say no to._

"We'll just have to wait and see where our feet would take us, ok? Now off you go. I need to do these dishes before we head out"

"Yay!"

 _He shouts, jumping off his chair._

"Wh-what's going?"

 _Ian zones back in at Noah's cheery squeal._

"Noah wants to go out for some fresh air. Do you want to come with us? Or are you too tired to?"

 _I answer him, already picking up the dishes to take them into the kitchen for washing._

"Yeah, I think I could use some fresh air myself as well. I'm just going to see how Mochi is doing before we go"

 _He says, putting the pizza box in the fridge before walking away to go see Mochi._

 **Ian's POV:**

 _I can't believe my baby girl is having puppies of her own. How could I not notice her changing? And when and where did this happen? I guess I haven't been very attentive to them lately. Looks like I've been so happy with Lucy and Noah's move in with me that I forgot to pay attention to the dogs and their needs._

 _As soon as Mochi sees me approaching her, she moves to get up._

"No, Mooch, stay down"

 _I kneel down so I could talk to her more properly._

"Why didn't you tell me, Mooch? I thought we told each other everything. I mean, you know all my secrets, and I still hope you don't go barking them to others"

 _I chuckle, tearfully._

"I promise I will help you in any way I can. I'll always be there for you, Mooch, and I'll never leave you whenever you need me. I can't believe I've noticed this before now. You must be thrilled to be a mommy, aren't you?"

 _I talk to her while stroking her head._

"Daddy"

 _I quickly wipe my tears before turning to find Lucy with Noah beside her, looking at me in concern._

"Are you both ready to go out?"

 _I ask as I move to stand up and walk their way to put my coat back on._

"Are _you_ ready, Daddy?"

 _Noah teases me._

"Actually, before we go to the park, can we go somewhere first?"

 _I ask them as I open the door for them._

"As long as we do go to the park today, sure"

 _Noah shrugs._

"Where are we going?"

 _Lucy asks, following my out of the door behind Noah._

"I just wanted to show you both something"

 _I vaguely answer._

"Are you gonna tell us what it is? Or are you just gonna torture us with this mystery?"

 _Lucy amusingly asks again as she links arms with me in the elevator while Noah quietly mumbles to himself._

"I'm almost positive you'll both love it, at least I hope you will, so please stop asking questions"

 _I playfully order her._

"Ok"

 _She mumbles, and pouts at me like a little child._

"If we don't go to the park, there will be consequences, mister"

 _I look down at Noah as he playfully points his little finger at me, in a fake threatening manner._

"And we will, although I'd like to see what these consequences might be"

 _I amusingly challenge him._

"Hmm, let's see. Maybe no pizza for you for a while. Or maybe I'll even call grandma Mary and tell her that you're misbehaving"

 _Damn,that kid knows how to make threats._

"You wouldn't dare"

 _I narrow my eyes at him._

"Or maybe I'll tell auntie Sarah to tell everyone about those stories that make you wanna hide from people because you're embarrassed. She told me she would do so if you ever upset me or momma"

 _He defies me, folding his arm above his chest, trying to look intimidating._

 _Lucy is barely holding back her laugh at what's unfolding in front of her._

 _I turn to look at her, and she hold up her hands in you're-on-your-own kinda way._

 _Ten paparazzi guys, and thirty minutes later, we arrive at our destination._

"Ian? Where exactly are we?"

 _Lucy, always the impatient, asks as soon as I park the car, as she looks around the quiet neighborhood._

"This is my friend; Kevin's house. He bought it two years ago with his wife, but they only really stayed for about a month in it due to his job demanding traveling all over the country, so they're putting it up for sale"

 _I answer as I open the door and walk around to open the door on her side and help her out._

"And I thought maybe it could be ours"

 _I whisper to her before I help Noah out of the car as well._

"That's a big house"

 _Noah comments as soon as hops out on his feet, standing in front of the house, inspecting it top to bottom._

"A beautiful one too"

 _Lucy nods in agreement with him._

"Just wait till you see the inside of it"

 _I tell them both, taking the keys to the house out of my jeans pocket._

 _Now for a house that was almost never lived in, I must say, it's pretty well-kept. I guess Kevin has someone come look after the house while he's not in town._

"Wow"

 _Lucy admires the interior decoration done with place._

"Momma look! There's a piano over there"

 _Noah exclaims as he carefully approaches it in the far corner of the living room._

"I see it now, honey. This place is amazing, right?"

 _She says, still looking around the place herself._

"So, what do you think so far?"

 _I ask her as I stand behind her, wrapping my arms around her while resting my chin on her right shoulder seeing as a couple inches taller than her time frame._

"Well, we still have the rest of this pretty big house to see, but if we do buy it, would we get fully furnished as it is right now? Or would we have to go furniture shopping as well?"

 _She asks quietly, well, quiet enough for only me to hear her as we don't want Noah to find out about this before we figure out a way to surprise him._

"Whichever you want. I haven't really asked Kevin about that, but I think he'd rather sell it all at once, rather than worrying about dealing with the furniture as well"

 _I answer her just as quietly._

"Mmm. I think I'd like to keep some of the things here in the living room, these stuffed animals in the corner have to go though. I don't need to be freaked out whenever I walk into the room, especially at night, or if the power goes out"

 _She shudders at her thoughts._

 _I chuckle and kiss her shoulder before grabbing her hand so we could explore more._

"Noah, come on. We have more rooms to see"

 _I call for him, watching as he reluctantly steps away from the piano._

"You really like the piano, don't you?"

 _I ask, noticing the longing looks he's giving the musical item._

"Yeah"

 _He distractedly answers my question._

 _I look at Lucy who's simply shrugs her shoulders._

"Ok, our next stop is the kitchen"

 _I announce as we turn the corner to the open kitchen area that over looks the dining room._

"Now that is what I call a kitchen"

 _I'm glad Lucy's impressed by the kitchen as she thinks "The kitchen is the heart of a great family house"._

 _Now while I'm the only cook of this family, like really, the only things Lucy can make without ruining are Lasagna and salad, but she's a great baker though while I can't even make a simple cake to save my life. So we sort of complement each other if you could say._

"Wow, Momma. This refrigerator is huge"

 _I chuckle at his excitement, as it seems like everything looks big to Noah today._

"I know, and look at that oven"

 _She says as she trails her hand over the handle._

"Why don't you push that button over there, Luce?"

 _I posing at the little red button just over her head._

 _She looks hesitant at first, but eventually does as asked, and once she does, two sliding doors over the opposite wall slide open._

"And this my dear, would be the pantry"

 _I announce to them both, watching their mouths hanging open in awe of this little discovery._

"I think I'm almost half sold"

 _I hear Lucy mumble, still pretty impressed._

"There's also a guest bedroom at the end of this hall, plus a powder room on the opposite side of the hallway. And that door leads to the back yard, which we'll be seeing at the end of this tour"

 _I say, pointing at the big dark brown door behind them._

"This is the guest bedroom?"

 _Lucy asks looking around the room in which you definitely would feel at your own house, not someone else's._

"I like it. It's bigger than my room at Momma's apartment"

 _Noah exclaims._

"Honey, it's even bigger than my own room back at the apartment"

 _Lucy scoffs._

"Now, if you both please come with me, I would like to show you the rooms upstairs"

 _I hold my hand out for Lucy to hold as Noah is already ahead of us._

 _Although Noah is very respectful of other people's houses and their rules, I can already see how comfortable he is right now, running around the house, even though he still doesn't know that it could possibly be ours one day._

"He seems to like the house so far"

 _Lucy says, clearly reading my mind._

"I just hope he likes the rest of it"

 _I tell her._

"Earlier today, he told me he'd like to live with you"

 _She says, suddenly stopping us in our tracks._

"Really?"

 _I ask, elated by this news._

"Yeah. He told me that it wasn't fair to you if you live all by yourself with no one to love and keep you safe and happy the way you make sure we are"

 _My eyes tear up at her words. I still don't know what I'd done to deserve such a caring and loving son and wonderful wi... girlfriend._

"And what did you tell him?"

 _I clear my throat as I turn to look at Noah who's observing the pictures in frames hanging on the walls._

"Well, I asked him if he only wants live with you because he feels sorry for you, or if wants to do it because he just wants to. He simply said that you must be feeling lonely staying at home all alone, and that you must hate having no one there with you. He doesn't want you to feel left out or unloved. He said that he wants us all to live together as a family"

 _She explains as she wipes the falling tears from my eyes._

"Daddy? Why are you crying?"

 _I look over at Noah who's looking at me with such concern in his eyes._

"N-nothing. It's just something got into my eyes, I think"

 _I quickly reply._

"Come on, If you think downstairs is amazing, I know, for a fact, you'll both love the rooms up here"

 _This floor has four bedrooms; the master bedroom, two smaller bedrooms for kids, and an even smaller room that might be suitable for a playroom or a nursery, each having its own bathroom, there's also another, although slightly smaller, living room, and a library at the end of the hall, which is a great thing for us seeing as we all love a good book, especially little Noah._

"Well, the first room, they'd designed it in case they had kids, which still hasn't happened yet"

 _I say, opening the door to the room._

 _As soon as Noah steps in, he gasps at the scene before him._

"That is so splendid"

"What do you think, buddy?"

 _I ask him, even though the look on his face says it all. He's in love with this room._

"What do I think? I love it. I mean, if I ever get to have a room this big, I'll decorate just like that. It's so awesome, Daddy"

 _He confirms my thoughts._

"Well, why don't you inspect further more, and me and mommy will be at the master bedroom so I could show her what it looks like, ok?"

 _He nods distractedly at me, already entranced by the book shelf in the right corner of the room._

 _Lucy and I make our way down the hall to toward the master bedroom, passing another room, just like the one Noah is in right now, except that one is plain white with no furniture in it, I guess they didn't really get a chance to think of turning it into something specific._

 _I push open the door to the master bedroom and let Lucy in first. And I give her a few seconds to take it all in before I speak._

"So, what do you think?"

 _I nervously ask her._

"I think your friend and his wife have a really great taste. This house is incredible, Ian"

 _She takes both my hands in hers._

"I'm glad you like it"

 _I nod at her, happy with my decision to show them the house._

"Like it? Ian, I'd be crazy not to love it. It's so beautiful and homey. I mean, it still needs a bit of our own touch, but still, I could see us settling here in no time. Noah loves it too, I can tell by the look in his eyes"

 _She exclaims._

"So, should I call Kevin to tell him that we taking the house?"

 _I ask her, pulling her closer in a hug._

 _She stands on her tiptoes and kisses me before she slightly pulls back, looking straight into my eyes._

"Mmm..."

"Aren't we gonna see the backyard or what?"

 _We hear Noah yell out from down the hallway, making his way toward the room._

"Hold that thought. I'll have to see the last stop of our house tour before we finally decide"

 _Lucy chuckles, before dragging me._

 _Now, there's a reason why I left the backyard for last. It's because, for me, it's the best part of this house, and I'm sure that's what Lucy and Noah will think of it too._

"Are you both ready?"

 _I ask them, already reaching for the back door handle to lead them outside._

 _They both look at each other then back at me and nod their heads like a couple of kids on a Christmas morning asked to open their presents, well, at least one of them really is still a kid._

"Ok, 1, 2, ... Look for yourself"

"So?"

 _I squeeze Lucy's hand to get her attention._

"Call Kevin. Tell him the house is sold"

 _She answers, almost immediately._

"Daddy, can I please go on this slide?"

 _Noah points at the slide, asking for permission._

"Go on, buddy. It's yours after all"

 _I encourage him._

"What?"

 _He asks confused._

"I'm buying this house"

 _I simply reply._

"This is gonna be your house?"

 _He asks again._

"No, this is gonna be our house, baby"

 _Lucy corrects him._

 _He gapes at her, processing what he's just been told._

"Really? Like really really? Like we're all gonna live here? Together?"

 _His eyes are already tearing up in pure happiness._

"Yeah, buddy. Really really. What do you think about that?"

 _I ask him as I lift him up on my hip._

"I'm so happy, Daddy. I'm finally feeling home with both my Momma and Daddy"

 _He wipes his tears with the back of his hand._

"What do you mean? We're already living together in my apartment, Noah"

 _Lucy comes closer to us._

"Yeah, but I was always worried that one day we'd go back to your apartment, Momma, but now, I don't have to worry anymore"

 _He explains._

"No, buddy, you don't have to worry anymore"

 _I assure him,pulling Lucy into a group hug._

"Can I call grandma Julie and tell her the good news, please?"

 _He jumps up and down in delight._

"How about we wait until we actually buy the house before we start telling people?"

 _I suggest._

"Ok"

 _He simply replies._

"We're finally home"

 _I say, looking down into Lucy's eyes._

"We're finally home"

 _She assured me back._


	18. Chapter17- Nobody Said It Was Easy

**Lucy's POV:**

"Ian! Did you see my pink and black striped suitcase?"

 _I yell out for him from our bedroom at our new house of two months._

"I don't know, Lucy. Maybe if you'd just put your stuff away when I ask you to then you wouldn't have to ask about where everything is"

 _I can just imagine him rolling his eyes at me._

"It was right here in the closet last time I checked, so would you just kindly help me or not, Ian?"

 _I ask in frustration._

"Well, what would that teach you, miss Hale? If you just misplace your things because you're just too lazy to put them away, and then get me to help you find them, then how could you possibly learn the importance of putting everything where it belongs?"

 _He says, standing at the bedroom door._

"Iaaan!"

 _I whine in frustration._

"Tsk tsk tsk. Whining isn't gonna help you find it, is it?"

 _He sounds like he's actually enjoying my misery._

 _I stand up from my holed up position in the closet, and turn around to glare at Ian's bemused expression._

"You're no use"

 _I pout at him._

"And you're too lazy"

 _He jests back._

"Ian, I know you don't want me to leave, but I have to go, so now is not the time to play games, ok?"

 _I try getting him to tell me where the suitcase is._

"What games? I didn't do anything"

 _He holds his hands up in fake defense_.

"Where did you hide it, Ian?"

 _I ask again._

"I'm telling you, I did not hide your suitcase. Why can't you believe me?"

 _He kinda seems to be telling the truth, to be honest._

"Now is really not the time to joke around, Harding"

 _Yet, I threaten, yet again._

"Oh I can promise you I'm not. I didn't see your suitcase, nor did I hide it so you wouldn't go. I know how important this album is for you, and even though I don't want you to go and leave us, I wouldn't willingly hide your stuff to stop you from going"

 _I sigh loudly, plopping down on the bed in defeat._

"I'm sorry, Ian. It's just... you know how much recording this album means to me, and you sure have noticed how much I'm stressing over it"

"I know, and I honestly don't know why you're so worried. You're such a great human being with an even greater voice. This album is gonna be a huge success, and I hope you remember me telling you this, because when it does, I'll be there saying 'I told you so""

 _Ian comes to sit by me on the bed, holding me in his arms._

"I'm sorry I hid your suitcase, Momma"

 _We both turn towards the door where Noah is standing with tear-brimmed eyes._

"You were the one who hid it, and let me have all the yelling? Oh how could you?!"

 _Ian fake-gasps, feigning betrayal, which doesn't lighten the mood as it was intended to, but instead it instantly makes Noah burst into tears._

"I'm sorry"

 _He says, running in between my legs and hugging my midsection while I'm still sitting in the bed still within Ian's side hug._

"Baby, you know I've been looking for it all over the place. Why didn't you tell me you had it? Why did you even hide it from me?"

 _I ask, trying to calm him down enough to explain._

"I don't want you to go, Momma. I don't want you to leave"

 _He sniffles, holding onto me even tighter._

"Oh, buddy. I don't want her to leave either, but we've gotta let her go and do amazing things like she always does; it's her job and what she likes to do"

 _Ian lifts Noah up on his lap so he's now cuddled into his chest, but still holding onto my shirt, well Ian's shirt that I'm wearing._

"Noah, baby, we've already talked about this. I want you to know that this is as hard on me as it is on you. I don't wanna leave you two either, believe me, and I wouldn't have agreed to go to Nashville if I'd known you wouldn't be fine here with your dad, but if you still don't want me to go, then ..."

"Then nothing. We're tough guys, Luce. We're gonna be just fine here, and we're gonna have so much fun. Besides, we'll be calling you every night to make sure you're the one who's ok. Right, buddy?"

 _We both look at Noah who's contemplating what he thinks of this._

"I guess it's ok. But I'm gonna miss you a lot, Momma"

 _Noah looks so vulnerable right now, that it almost makes me wanna cancel all my plans and stay right here with the both of them._

"Oh, honey. You don't know how much I'm gonna miss my baby as well"

 _I open my arms so he could crawl onto my lap._

"Oh great! And now I'm left out. You two should be ashamed of yourselves for not including me in your love hug"

 _Ian pout big time and folds his arms in front of his chest._

"Don't be such a baby, Daddy. I love you just as much as I love Momma"

 _Noah reaches out his arm for Ian to get in with us in our hug, which he immediately does._

"Can you please go and get the suitcase for me, Noah? I need to start packing as soon as possible if I wanna spend as much time as possible with my boys"

 _I say, kissing his forehead as I run my hand over his back in a comforting manner._

"Ok"

 _He sighs loudly, while dramatically exiting the room._

"I don't think I can do this. I don't even know why I agreed to being away from the both of you for three weeks. I..."

 _I hide my face in my hands as I lean forward resting my elbows on my knees._

"Hey! You can and you _will_ go to Nashville to record this album. I will not let you feel bad about doing something as important as this, and especially something you love. Yes, we will miss you dearly, and believe me, I wish we could come with you to Nashville, but with Mochi's situation, we sadly can't go anywhere. I promise you though, we'll call you as often as we're allowed to, ok? This is your big chance, Luce. I'm not gonna let you have to choose between us and your career, there isn't even an option for you to choose. We are here to love and support you, no matter what you do"

 _Ian holds my chin up so he would look into my eyes._

"God! What did I ever do to deserve you?"

 _I ask him._

"I ask myself the exact same question each and everyday, Goose"

 _He chuckles, leaning in to kiss me, but unfortunately we get interrupted by Noah dragging the suitcase behind him huffing and whining, but that doesn't stop Ian from pecking my lips though._

"How did you ever manage to drag it out of the room without either of us noticing?"

 _Ian looks perplexed at Noah's "misery"._

 _Noah shrugs before talking._

"Well, you both were in the backyard with the dogs and I had to go to the bathroom, and I had the idea to hide it while I was still in there, so when I was finished, I got out and dragged it into my room and into my closet"

 _He says, still trying to catch his breath from the "hard work"._

"Baby, come here"

 _I motion for him to come sit on my lap, which he immediately does._

"You know I could've easily packed another suitcase, right? You know I have other suitcases tucked away in the guest room?"

 _I ask him hugging him tighter into my embrace._

"No, Momma. I know this is your good-luck one. You always pack it whenever you have work to do and you need some luck with it"

 _He shakes his head before looking at me pointedly, as if to state the obvious. And that's the honest truth, but the thing is, I don't believe I ever told him this, so how in the world did he find out about that?_

"Baby, how did you know about this?"

 _I muse._

"I heard you and Daddy talking the other day. You said that no matter how old that suitcase gets, you'd never let go of it, because it brings you luck whenever you need it"

 _He explains._

"You're so smart, you know that?"

 _I kiss him gently over his forehead._

"Thank you for saying that"

 _He blushes. Always the one to do so when complemented._

"We all know who he takes after in that department"

 _Ian, so "smugly" smirks._

"Of course we do; me"

 _I look over at him, raising an eyebrow to challenge him to say otherwise._

"Uh.. I meant both of us, don't you think so, Noah?"

 _He concedes._

"Duh! You both have me, so that means you're both very smart"

 _Noah buffs his chest at his own statement._

"Oh, is that so? Mr. Harding?"

 _Ian raises his eyebrows at him in amusement, and certainly with a look of awe, adoration and love that swells my heart._

"Uh-huh"

 _Noah simply nods his head in affirmation._

 _Moments like this one, right here and now, are what make me go on with life more determined than ever to overcome what comes my way as an individual, and our way as a family._

 **~ LINE BREAK ~**

 _ **Later that night**_

 _Today was certainly one full of laughter, running around like some crazy kids, which in Noah's case is kinda the truth. But now that it's night time, Noah's bedtime to be precise, it's bittersweet. Knowing that in just a few short hours, I'd be far away from my family, it's never easy to part with them for even a few hours, let alone weeks._

"I love you, baby"

I kiss Noah on the forehead as I tuck him into his bed, in which he looks so small and vulnerable.

"I love you too, Momma. I'll see you in the morning, right? I'll get to say goodbye?"

 _Even when he's more than he's asleep, he's still worried about me going away._

"I would never go anywhere without saying goodbye to you Noah, and if I ever feel like you wouldn't be ok without me there with you, then know for sure that I would never leave your side"

 _I promise him, even though I'm pretty sure he was out cold before I even said a word._

 _I turn on his night light before closing the door to his room and walking into our bedroom where Ian is waiting for me after tending to the dogs, all four of them. God bless him._

"Hey. He went to bed ok?"

 _He asks, pulling down the comforter for me to step in after I'm done with my nightly routine._

"Yeah, pretty sure he was almost dead to the world before he even walked out of the bathroom"

 _I sigh._

"You ok?"

I can hear the concern in his voice before actually seeing it etched on his face.

"Do you think it's a good idea for me to go away for so long?"

"You knows as well as I do that it's what you deserve for what you've been through these past couple of years, Luce. We'll be ok, I promise you. This is a good thing, and don't you ever think otherwise"

 _He holds my hand._

"What is this really about, Lucy? I know there's more you're not saying"

 _He squeezes my hand in comfort, that he knows is all I need right_ now.

"I feel like I'm leaving you two all over again"

 _I burst into sobs, overwhelmed with emotions I've bottling up for a while now._

"Lucy, no! That's not even what's happening. I know it's hard for you to be leaving us home, but you're only doing it for a short while. Yeah, we'll miss you dearly, but we know it's so you could do something you love. And besides, we could always visit you, and since you're staying with your family during this stay there, then it'll be a great opportunity for me and Noah to visit them as well. But if you're still worried about leaving, I mean, you could still take Noah there with you..."

"I know that, but I don't wanna leave you alone here, plus, this is something we need to work on as a family. I know mom would be more than happy to watch Noah while I'm at the studio, but I don't wanna ask her for too much, you know?"

 _I fiddle with a loose string on my shirt, Ian's actually._

"And we will work it out. I need you to relax and not stress about something that's only r head. I know seeing Noah upset earlier made you upset as well and doubt your ability to go and follow your dream, but it's our job as a family to support one another to no end, so no matter what you do, Luce, there's no way me and Noah won't be there for you to support you and cheer you on"

 _Ian's words manage to, yet again, bring tears to my eyes, but this time they're only tears of love for the man who's been there for me since the moment we've started working on the set of Pretty Little Liars; the show that changed both of our lives._

"Thank you, Ian; for believing in me, and my dreams. I truly believe that I lucked out on the best-partner department"

 _I tearfully smile at him._

"I only believe in you because I _know_ that you have what it takes to do whatever you set your mind to do, with the best interest of everybody else's in heart. I know that you're worth what you work hard for, and I know that you always do your best to make sure every one around you is happy. You think of people before your self, and now is the time some one does the same for you. I love you, Lucy, and I truly and greatly am grateful for the opportunity to have you in my life, any way I can"

 _Ian leans over to wipe my tears and kiss me like there's no tomorrow to help ease my worries, which he certainly knows how to do, every single time I feel like giving up._

 _This man I'm lying in bed with, and the that little boy sleeping in his room no so far from us are all I want in this life and more. I honestly don't know what or where I would be without them in my life. I would certainly not be feeling this whole._

 _I can proudly admit that I'm luckiest girl in on this planet earth to have gotten blessed to have then in my life, and I truly hope that I'm strong enough to be there for my boys, my family, my friends and the people supporting me through it all._


	19. Chapter19- Misinterpretions

**Ian's POV:**

"FACETIME is not enough. We all miss you here"

 _I probably sound like a whiny little kid, but it's the truth._

"I know you do, I do too, Shmian. Only two weeks left though"

 _She gives me a small smile._

"Yeah, yeah"

 _I sigh deeply, for such a dramatic effect._

"How is everyone there? How are you guys holding up without me?"

 _She asks, and I watch her as she stifles a yawn, covering her mouth with the back of her hand._

"Everyone is good. Noah and I actually went to the market, can you believe it?"

 _I chuckle at myself, recalling just the other day when we were woken up at 9am to go there against our will._

"No, I actually can't. Who do I have to praise for dragging you there?"

 _She squints her eyes at me, giving me a pointed look._

"Sarah"

 _There's really no point lying to her. I know that just one call from my beloved sister, and she'd know all about it. I'm quite surprised she hasn't called her already._

"Aha! I knew you wouldn't have gone to the market willingly. So where's he anyway? And what did you guys get?"

 _She asks, and I know she's interested to know what we got, but by the way she's yawning for umpteenth time, I don't think she'll still be with me this coming minute._

"I don't think you'll be able to hear what I have to say as you keep yawning like you haven't slept for ages. Are you actually that tired, or are you just that bored with me?"

 _I playfully tease her._

"Tired"

 _One word answer, and she's out like a light. I watch as her eyes droop and her breathing slows down. That's actually the second time she's done it this week. We talk on the phone every night. She tells me how everything is going with the recording and how much she'd missed doing this as music is her number one passion, and I tell her about our day and how much "trouble" we got into around the house._

"I love you"

 _I say to her, even though I know she can't hear me, but I've got a couple years to make up for._

"Daddy"

 _I look over the laptop on my outstretched legs as I sit on the bad, to see Noah standing by the door, rubbing his eyes with his little fist of one hand while the other hand is holding a small stuffed elephant. The exact one I'd won for Lucy at the fair when we first started dating. I can say that's his new best "stuffed" friend since Dolphy sadly "didn't make it" on that day of his accident._

"Hey"

 _I pat the bed next to me where immediately climbs onto it._

"Who were you talking to?"

 _He yawns before snuggling into me._

"Your mom, actually"

"Oh"

 _I detect disappointment in his tone of voice._

"What is it, buddy?"

 _I move his hair off his face as I try to get him to look at me._

"How come she doesn't talk to me anymore?"

 _He mumbles, so quietly that I could barely hear what he says._

"I'm sure she really wants to, but you know she's just too busy these days"

 _I try to reason._

"But she talks to you everyday, and every time I try to talk to her, she's always too busy to talk and ends the call. How come, daddy?"

 _He sniffles, and my heart just breaks at his revelation._

"Hey? Where's all this coming from? I thought we were having fun in here, just us boys. You know she's slept on me twice this week? She's that hard-working. I promise you though, first thing in the morning, I'm gonna let you call her"

"No! I want her to call me. I want her to wanna talk to me. She's my Momma; she's supposed to do that"

 _I know he still has insecurities, and we're all still dealing with them, so if assuring everything is ok over and over again, day and night, then that's what I'll do._

"Momma loves you, Noah. I don't want you to ever doubt that"

 _I tell him._

"I know she does"

 _He nods._

"I sense a but there. I know you miss your mom, as do I, but I feel like this isn't only about that, is it?"

 _There's something else, I just have the feeling._

"I don't know, I just... I'm bored here. Momma gets to do what she loves, and you Daddy go to work as well, and I have to stay here all the time. We go out sometimes, but that's only when you're not too busy. I've read my books over and over. I now know all of them by heart. I don't have friends here. I always play alone, and I feel lonely"

 _I can see he's getting pretty worked up, just by telling me this._

"Why didn't you say something before, Noah? I wish you would've told me earlier, buddy. I'm sorry you're feeling this way. I promise you, when Momma gets back home, I will talk to her, and we'll try to make it up to you, ok?"

 _I think it's perfectly normal what he's asking. We don't go out a lot due to our super busy schedule, but also because we prefer to stay inside within the privacy of our house, away from the relentless paparazzi._

"Ok. I love you, Daddy"

"Do you have any idea how much it means to me to hear you say that? I love you so much, Noah"

"I know, Daddy. Thank you for listening to me"

"I want you to know that you can always come to me and your mom for anything, ok? I don't want you to ever feel like there's something you can't talk to us about"

 _I pull him up so he's now lying on my upper body._

"Got it"

 _He nods his head._

"Now about those books... what do you say we go to the book store tomorrow and buy you a couple of new books? I could use some for my self as well"

 _I suggest._

"Really? I'd really love that"

 _He instantly perks up at the idea._

"You're the best daddy in the whole world. I love you"

The next day

 _Noah and I indeed head to the book store after having the "delicious" breakfast, as Noah kindly put it. We spent exactly two hours and twenty minutes in that store, looking through books and novels. It was exhausting, but the look of pure joy upon Noah's face is definitely worth it._

 _Right now, we're on our way to Starbucks to get coffee and hot chocolate. Noah is skipping beside me, glad he finally got to get out of the house._

 _Suddenly, just before we walk in, I hear a commotion behind me, and as soon as turn around to see what it is, I'm blinded by the flashing cameras of the paparazzi, so I immediately pull Noah up in my arms and hurry away before they catch a glimpse of his face._

 **"Ian. Is that yours and Lucy's son?"**

 _Duh!_

 **"How come you never post any pictures of him? Why are you keeping him a secret?"**

 _Aren't we entitled to privacy?_

 **"Yeah, Ian. Why are you guys hiding him? Is there something wrong with him?"**

 _That particular question stops me dead in my tracks. I hear Noah whimpering into my neck and I try to soothe him as best as I can. I turn to look back at the idiot who's just asked that damn question._

"There's absolutely nothing is wrong with my son. We'd like to lead normal life like any kind of family out there. Just because we don't show off our extraordinary child, doesn't mean there's something wrong with him"

 _I burst out at him before turning back to open the door and walk into Starbucks._

 _As soon as we're inside, and out of the paparazzi's cameras' sight, I put Noah down on his feet and look at him properly._

"Are you ok, buddy?"

 _I check him over, not caring that I'm making a scene and people are staring all around me. I know he's not physically hurt, I never would've allowed it to happen, but I just have to make sure he's alright._

"I'm ok, Daddy. Who are these people?"

 _He asks, trying to look through the glass door of this place._

"They're just nasty people trying to pry onto people's private lives, and they have such rude ways to get what they want"

 _I explain to him._

"What did they mean that you and Momma are hiding me?"

 _He asks, looking down. I know he can sense that it means something bad since he just watched me lash out on that guy outside._

"Nothing you need to worry about, ok? Right now, all you have to think about is how many marshmallows you want in your hot chocolate, yeah?"

"Ok"

 _He reluctantly nods at me._

 _How those people manage to ruin a perfectly good day is beyond me. And they even get paid to do this?!_

A few hours later

 _We've been home for a few hours now, and Noah is already reading through the second half of one of the books we got, and I just had to take a picture to capture this moment, to try and end this God awful day on a good note._

 _I edit it, one half shows me with the book lying on my face, and the other half shows Noah sitting with a book open on his lap._

 _I text it to Lucy under the following caption:_

 **"Like father, like son? I think not**? **"**

 _Almost immediately, I get a reply from her._

 **"I miss my boys**? **"**


	20. Chapter20- Where We At

**Ian's POV:**

 _Lucy has been back home with us for a week now, and even though things are going well between us, I can't help the feeling I have inside that there's something nagging at her, especially since I found out that she left Maggie's house, where she'd been staying during the second week, to go stay at a hotel room. When I asked her about it, she simply shrugged and told me that she just didn't feel like intruding, which Lucy never had felt before. I think something went down there, Julie has no idea what happened that lead to that kind of behavior, hell, even Maggie herself hasn't got a clue why Lucy is behaving this way; like she's actually trying to push people away._

"Luce?"

 _She's been sitting at the vanity in our bedroom for ten minutes now, doing nothing but staring at her reflection in the mirror. She's absolutely not moving, just looking back at herself with an emotion I can't quite read._

"Mm?"

 _Is all I get out of her which makes me sigh as I push myself up and out of the bed and walk to stand behind her, but she apparently went back to being too lost in her own thoughts to realize I'm there as she slightly jumps and her body stiffens when I kiss behind her ear and wrap my arms around her._

"What's going on with you, Goose? And don't say it's nothing because I can tell something is upsetting you and ever since you got back, you've been in your own world only muttering a word or two to me or even our son. You're here, but you're obviously not with us. Talk to me, Lucy, please"

 _I nearly damn beg her to open up to me._

"I have no idea where life is going to take me"

 _I watch in the mirror as her eyes well up with tears as she looks up at me through the reflection in front of us. She looks and definitely sounds much too vulnerable for my liking._

"W-what do you mean?"

 _I don't like her answer, not one bit, but if it means that she's finally letting me know what's bothering her so I could help her, then so be it._

"I don't feel sure about anything in my life anymore, Ian. A few years ago, I used to know what I'm doing with my life, where everything is going, and how things are going, but now? I don't even know what I'm doing half the time, both in my career and personal life"

 _She interlaces her fingers with mine where they're still on her torso._

"I don't understand. I thought things with your album were going well, and you told me that they called you in for a show and two movies just last month. And what do you mean by not knowing what you're doing in your personal life? You mean us? Is that it?"

 _I inquire._

"Ian, please, don't take what I'm about to say the wrong way, ok?"

 _She tightens her hold on my hands as she turns around, still seated, to look at me._

"Are you not happy in our relationship? Is that what you're trying to say?"

 _I continue to babble anyway._

"Ian-"

 _She tries to cut me off, but words are still pouring out of my mouth without so much as thinking before talking._

"Because that's all that matters to me, you know? Yours and Noah's happiness is all I'm trying to ensure. I'd understand if you wanted to go back to us being two parents sharing a kid while remaining good friends. I could never pressure you into doing something against your will, even if it means that I won't have you for the rest of my life"

"NO! Ian that's not what I'm trying to say at all. Where did you even get this idea?"

 _She raises her voice, slightly above mine trying to get my attention, which she does almost immediately._

"Then what, Lucy? What the hell is going on? I wanna help you get through whatever it is that's eating at you, but I can't do that when you keep things from me. What made you leave Maggie's house to stay at a hotel, and don't say you didn't wanna intrude because you know as well as I do that that's not a plausible excuse at all"

 _I ask her, feeling frustrated and quite honestly, slightly hurt by her lack of trust in me._

"That day; the day when you had an encounter with the paparazzi, I was out with Maggie having lunch when I got the call from my manger"

 _She starts to say._

"Yeah, I remember you calling me right after ending the call with her. You wanted to come home, but I thankfully managed to convince you to stay where you were till you've finished your work because things hadn't really been as bad as they'd made them to be"

 _I recall how distraught Lucy's been when she called me and demanded to talk to Noah to make sure he was ok._

"Yeah, well, as I was saying, Maggie and I were out that day running some errands for her date night with Lewis as it was their anniversary. I offered to take the kids to my Mom's, you know, so they could have the house all to themselves. Maggie assured me that it was ok for us to stay there as Lewis had already booked them a room at a hotel where they'd be spending the night after their dinner reservation"

 _I watch as she sighs, closing her eyes as she recalls those events. She opens her eyes once again and I'm not sure what it is that I see in them because she averts her gaze all too soon for me to figure it out._

"When I talked to Noah after speaking with my manager, I felt it, Ian, I felt it the second he started talking; my son hates me. I talked for most of the call, and it sounded like he couldn't get off the phone fast enough. It was like he didn't wanna speak to me. I thought maybe he'd been shaken up from the encounter with the paparazzi, i tried to cheer him up by talking about Tommy and Lily. He didn't seem to care about anything I had to say. That night, while I was babysitting the kids, Tommy was playing with his toys and Lily somehow had convinced me to play grownup dressup with her. We were talking and laughing and all that, but then all of a sudden she asked me one question that made me question everything else"

"What did she ask?"

 _I know what the question was, it had to have been bad to make Lucy this upset._

"She asked me why every time I have work to do, I leave Noah behind in another city, even though that makes him very sad. She told me that whenever either of her parents has work, she knows for sure that they'll both be there for her at night to keep the monsters away. Do you know how little I thought, and still think of my self because of that one simple question? Lily is only eight years old and just by a few words, she managed to make me stay up all through that night thinking about my life, and how I'm not a good enough mother to my son. Lily was happy all through the day for her parents' anniversary and told me how she wants to grow up to be just like them and find her Prince Charming to celebrate their love for each other together, just like her mommy and daddy. Noah never got the chance to be there on our anniversary, he never got to celebrate anything with us really, well, except for his birthday. My little boy never got to feel happiness as much as I would like him to. And what that paparazzi guy said all but proves how much of a failure I've been to him"

 _She sobs._

 _I sigh before pulling her up and turning her around so we're both standing in front of the mirror with me hugging her while her back is to my front._

"I thought we were moving on from the past?"

 _I ask her, but she clearly can't answer my question through her sobs, so I talk again._

"Please, look at the mirror, Luce"

 _I watch as she reluctantly does as told._

"That woman you see I'm holding in my arms is everything anyone could ask for. You've always been a great daughter, an incredible sister, an awesome and supportive friend, a talented singer, and a great actress"

 _I pull her closer to me and cut her off before she gets a chance to argue._

"The years went on and you became _my_ best friend; I could talk to you about everything and anything on my mind, and then one day, I'd found enough courage in me to tell you how I'd been feeling toward you and asked you out on a date. The date became two, and then many many more from then on. The days became weeks, and those turned into months. Month after another, we'd been dating for a year when I purposed to you. I loved you, and I still pretty much do, and that's why I chose to spend every second of my life with you. You make my life better, easier and more beautiful than I could ever ask for. I never once regretted getting married to you, well, to be completely honest, I only regretted it once but only because I thought I wasn't good enough for you. Do you remember when you told me you were pregnant? I cried that day, remember?"

 _That certainly was one of the happiest moments of my life._

"Oh, believe me, I do remember"

 _She tearfully gives me a small smile._

"I cried of joy at that moment, but I also cried of relief as that moment became one of realization. When I found out I was going to be a father, I instantly felt an immense amount of relief, it was like I'd been looking for a goal or a purpose in life, and right at that moment, I realized that being a great actor and winning awards don't really matter as much as my role as a good husband and a father to a kid who would look up to me and point at me and say that's my daddy over there. I knew I would have to work really hard to be those things, but you? I never once doubted your ability to be the perfect wife for me, and the most caring and loving mother for our kids. And you know what?"

 _I kiss her shoulder, looking her dead in the eye through the mirror._

"What?"

 _She mumbles quietly._

"You never had, and will never have to work to be what's best for us because you are already the one real blessing in mine and Noah's life. Being a caretaker is a second nature to you, Luce. You always give all that you have, make sure everyone is happy, and you always put everybody else's need first, let alone your own child. Noah could never ask for a better mom, and I really mean that"

"He-"

 _She drifts off, breaking eye contact to cast her gaze down._

"What is it?"

 _But before she says a word though, we hear Noah knocking on our bedroom door alerting us that he's awake, seeing as it's already past 7:00 o'clock according to the clock on the wall to my right._

"We'll be down in a minute, Noah. Just please, make sure everything is alright downstairs with the dogs, and we'll be right behind you, buddy"

 _I tell him._

"Ok, but hurry up, daddy. I really need to ask you something"

 _His muffled voice sounds from behind the closed door._

"I want you to observe how he's treating me once we get downstairs. I need you to see it for yourself how he acts around me"

 _Lucy asks me._

"What do you mean, Luce?"

 _I don't think I've noticed him treating you any differently lately._

"That's because you haven't been asked to observe closely, Ian. Please, just pay closer attention this morning to see if you'd still be so sure about how he feels about me, then we'll talk more tonight, ok?"

 _She sighs._

"Whatever you wish, sweetheart, but I'm telling you once again, Noah loves you so much, Goose. I don't even know why you'd ever doubt that, but I will make sure to make you believe how much you mean to the both of us"

 _I assure her._

 _As we get downstairs, we can hear Noah going around the kitchen, making sure the dogs are all ok (especially, Mochi since she's about to pop). We walk in there, only to find Hunter; his little puppy, is giving him a hard time sitting still._

"Hunter! What on earth are you doing, buddy?"

 _We watch as little Hunter keeps nudging his dish, already having spilt some of his food on the floor._

 _I step towards them, trying to help a little._

"Hunter, stop!"

 _Noah angrily orders him, at which the little puppy stops immediately and cowers away from him._

"Noah, we don't yell at anyone in this house or even outside for that matter. That was so uncalled for"

 _I quietly admonish, trying to calm down the sweet little puppy who's taking refuge in Lucy's arms at the moment._

"I'm sorry. It's just that he's been playing around too much since I woke up this morning, and wouldn't even listen to what I say to him"

 _He tries to defend his action._

"There's no reason in the world that would make it ok to yell at any one or any defenseless being, Noah. I hope that was the first and only time you'd that. Am I making myself clear?"

"Yes, Daddy"

 _He lowers his head, looking at his feet. I may have sounded a bit too harsh with him, but this matter can't be taken lightly at any age._

"Now, please, apologize to Hunter and come help make some breakfast for the three of us"

"Ok"

 _He mumbles, walking towards Lucy as he tries to pat Hunter on the head while saying sorry._

 _The dog, of course, quickly forgives him and hops out of Lucy's arms and takes off to his bowl to eat properly his time._

 _And as Noah turns to walk back behind the counter, I clear my throat to get his attention, at which he looks at me expectantly._

"Aren't you forgetting something?"

 _I raise my eyebrow at him, tilting my head towards Lucy, infecting indicating that he still has to greet her yet._

"Good morning"

 _He avoids her gaze, saying this, and I go to comment on it, but Lucy grabs my arm and shakes her head at me, telling me to just watch silently._

"What does everyone want for breakfast this morning?"

 _I ask them both._

"Actually, I'm not very hungry. I'll just have yogurt with some strawberry"

 _Lucy declares._

 _I look at her disapprovingly. This has been going on for a while now. She's been refusing food at any chance I offer, but then some other days, she eats her normal servings, but only certain types of meals._

"You've gotta eat something more than just yogurt, Lucy"

 _I make what I think clear to her._

"I just feel a little sick at the moment, Ian. Maybe I'll eat something later"

 _She says._

"Are you ok?"

 _I ask._

"Yeah, I'm totally fine. I just don't think I can stomach anything else at the moment"

 _She tells me, and I watch as she grabs a couple of strawberries to cut into a bowl before adding yogurt and some honey on top._

 _I sigh before looking down at Noah who's been silently observing our interaction._

"Ok, so what do _you_ want, little guy?"

 _I ask him, thanking God that at least he's got my appetite, not Lucy's._

"I think maybe an omelet might do"

 _He says, already taking the eggs out of the fridge._

 _"Omelet. Hm, why the hell not?" I think to myself._

"Would you like some coffee, Goose?"

 _I offer her, as I turn on the mean machine._

"No, but thanks anyway, Ian"

 _She declines once again while still hoping for Noah to return her gaze, which he doesn't._

 _I'm not happy with this situation and I make it crystal clear as I sigh loudly, slamming the cup I have in my hand probably a little too hard on the counter, but remaining silent though._

 _Ten minutes later, two omelets and a cup of coffee later, we're all finished and I'm just about to put the dishes in the sink to wash them later, when I hear a commotion behind me, and I turn just in time to see Lucy running towards the bathroom, slamming the door behind her as soon as she goes in._

 _I look at Noah, who's now decided it's time to notice his own mother, and he looks worried, probably as much as I am right now._

 _Something is going on with Lucy and it isn't just Noah-related. I've also noticed that she seemed a bit pale and a little uncomfortable all during breakfast, as if she might throw up, much like she's doing right now, if the sounds I'm hearing right now is any indication._

"Is she ok?"

 _Noah asks me, looking between me and the bathroom door._

"I honestly don't know, buddy, but I sure as hell am about to find out"

 _I say._

 _I walk towards the bathroom and knock on the door, hearing the sound of running water from the sink. I think Lucy is done being sick._

"I'm ok, Ian"

 _Her hoarse voice says otherwise._

"No, you are not. I'm coming in"

 _I tell her before doing just that._

 _I walk in and find her leaning over the counter, holding the edge with both hands, while both her eyes are closed tight. I can already see the tears spilling out from the corners._

"Luc-"

 _I try to talk but she cuts me off._

"I'm so sorry"

 _She sobs, and I hold her just in time before she falls to her knees._

"Lucy, what's going on with you? Are you sick?"

 _I frantically ask her, looking for a plausible reason for the state she's in._

"I think... I think I'm... pregnant"

 _She whispers, almost afraid that I might hear hear, and I do._

 _I did just hear Lucy saying that she might be pregnant with my child._ _ **Again!**_

 **A/N: Well, well, well. Here I am. Back to you guys with a new update, more drama and more issues to go through. The Hale-Harding family don't really have it easy, do they? Hope you liked this chapter, guys. Whether you did or not, please, let me know in the comments below.**

 **Kisses,**

 **Esraa.**


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